Maternity wards gain over 200 staff in two years

Maternity wards across Denmark have increased staffing with an addition of 221 full-time positions from 2021 to 2023, totaling 3,421 employees, as reported by Berlingske based on a note from Danish Regions. The growth followed a financial boost from the 2022 budget, allocating 475 million kroner to be invested into the departments by 2025, after reports of overwhelmed maternity wards and midwives so busy they couldn’t take breaks. The goal was to attract over 100 additional staff members by 2025. Mie Ryborg-Larsen from the association of Parents and Birth is quoted saying that maternity wards now have a satisfactory staffing level. A recent tripartite agreement included a 3 billion kroner wage boost for select public sector groups, like midwives, to support them financially and to encourage full-time and irregular shift work.