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<p>The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) maternity support
staff working in National Health Service (NHS) hospital trusts and commissioning bodies
in England over the past five years.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>August
2018</p></td><td><p>August 2019</p></td><td><p>August 2020</p></td><td><p>August 2021</p></td><td><p>August
2022</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Maternity Support Staff - FTE</p></td><td><p>7,270</p></td><td><p>7,439</p></td><td><p>8,098</p></td><td><p>7,485</p></td><td><p>7,545</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>Source: NHS Digital Workforce Statistics</p><p>Maternity support staff have
been defined as all support staff that work in a ‘maternity services’ and ‘neonatal
nursing’ care setting. This includes nursing associates, nursery nurses, nursing assistants/auxiliaries,
healthcare assistants and support workers.</p><p>NHS England have provided funding
to maternity services to support the recruitment of Maternity Support Workers (MSW)
and to offer enhanced education support to align them with the Health Education England
MSW competency, education, and career development framework.</p><p>To increase the
maternity workforce, from 2022, an additional £127 million is being invested by NHS
England which will go towards the maternity NHS workforce and improving neonatal care.
This is on top of the £95 million invested in 2021, to fund the establishment of posts
for 1,200 more midwives and 100 more consultant obstetricians.</p>
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