PURPOSE:
The UK government currently reports a deficit of 2,000 midwives; furthermore 600 midwives left the profession in the last year (Royal College of Midwives, 2023). The number of Midwifery learners being recruited onto programmes has increased by 3,000 since 2019 to reduce this shortfall (HEE, 2022). Despite this, on average, 400 student midwives do not complete their programme of study (Lovegrove, 2018). If student midwives are not supported to complete their programme; this shortage will remain significant.

DISCUSSION:
It is crucial to explore innovative solutions to sustainably increase learning environment capacity and support workforce development. Currently, there are various methods utilised to manage learner rosters, ranging from paper-based rota schedules to posts on social platforms (Padlet/Facebook). Midwifery learner focus groups highlighted that receiving advanced notice of shifts and fair shift allocation would significantly improve learners’ well-being and work-life balance.

EVIDENCE WHERE RELEVANT:
Given the mental health challenges among learners (Oates et al, 2020), it is crucial that rosters are allocated in a timely manner, to minimise stress and support those who have caring responsibilities (Brook & Kemp, 2021). A pilot has been undertaken in the Northwest of England, whereby a 12-month rostering model has been developed by six hospital trusts, in collaboration with three Higher Educational Institutes. This project aims to enhance the learner experience, optimise capacity and improve the quality of learning environments to better prepare the future midwifery workforce. Advance notice of shifts reduces fatigue and increases job satisfaction (Horvat et al, 2020). Preliminary data from our service evaluation (currently underway) indicates that this is a positive innovation and learner satisfaction with rosters has improved.

KEY MESSAGE:
The 12-month rostering approach enhances learner experience by promoting work-life balance, timely notice of shifts and supporting fair acquisition of clinical experience and assessment, as learners are equitably distributed across clinical shifts. Poster session 3 (Group B)