International supply and demand will continue

There is likely to be an increase in demand for UK-trained maternity staff – including obstetricians – from abroad. This may result in small outflows from the English workforce.

Recruitment of maternity staff from outside the UK is unlikely to provide significant additional supply. This shapers’ impact is limited because of the differences in skills and competences of midwives outside the UK and concerns about the quality of overseas-trained midwives, along with ethical concerns (International Confederation of Midwives, 2008).

Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.