Maternity units are being overstretched as NHS trusts fail to fill vacant midwifery posts, Tory health spokesman Andrew Lansley has claimed.
Almost 600 jobs in 85 units across England are unfilled, according to data obtained by the Conservative Party under the Freedom of Information Act.
But the Government disputed the figures, saying the number of midwives had passed 25,000 for the first time under Labour and that 1,000 more would be recruited by September 2009.
The Tories said there were 583 full-time equivalent posts available – 5% of the total number of jobs for midwives in these trusts.… Read the full story