In April 2025 Birthrate Plus commissioned Birte Harlev-Lam OBE to chair an independent review of our approach to workforce planning in maternity services.
The review obtained views from over 160 members of the profession through a series of interviews, surveys and setting specific consensus building workstreams, held between September 2025 and January 2026. Representatives from the Royal College of Midwives RCM, The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists RCOG, the devolved nations, senior maternity leaders from the Republic of Ireland, CEO’s, Directors and Heads of Midwifery, service leads and academics took part.
The review, published in February 2026, endorses the methodology underpinning Birthrate Plus approach to workforce planning and proposes ways in which the approach can be strengthened to reflect current practice.
The Birthrate Plus Board has accepted the review and all its recommendations, and work to implement them is beginning immediately.
You can view the report and participate in the ongoing implementation projects via our report page.