SCOTLAND’S SNP government must urgently boost bursaries or almost a third of midwifery students could quit, according to a union report.

A poll of midwifery students in Scotland for the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) found that a staggering 60 per cent were concerned they would be forced to quit university as they struggle to cope with soaring rents and rocketing food and energy prices.

The report found that despite bursaries of £10,000 in years one and two and £7,500 in their final year, 70 per cent of students had to take on debt to fund their studies.

Nearly 70 per cent had also lost benefits during training, leaving more than a third so stressed about their finances that they struggled to sleep.

Calling for the Scottish government to invest in the midwifery and future midwives, RCM director in Scotland Jaki Lambert said: “The cost of training to be a midwife in many cases is too much to bear.

“With over half of midwifery students considering dropping out because they can’t afford to complete their course, the bursary, which has been frozen for years, needs to be raised urgently to reflect the cost of living in 2024.

“Make no mistake, we need these students. In one week alone, midwives worked cumulatively over 12,000 hours extra just to keep services running.

“They desperately need support of the next generation and for them to then stay in the profession.”

A Scottish government statement said: “We value our midwives and the important role they play keeping people safe, and that’s why we are working with our key partners including the RCM as part of the nursing & midwifery taskforce, to improve the attraction, retention and leadership for NHS staff as well as students.”