National recognition for Taunton midwife - A TAUNTON midwife has achieved outstanding success in a prestigious national award. [Taunton News]

Pertinent timing as news breaks today of a plan to try and lure new and trained midwifes back into the profession. I am sure this award is well deserved and I particularly like the point made that part of her service is to help halve the number of teenage pregnancies by 2010. Reading between the lines of the modest Alish it sounds like she tries to become a pillar of support that these young mums may not have.

Alan Johnson announced today that there are plans to help many trained midwives back into the profession. The actual announcement was to increase the number of midwifes by 4000 over the next three years. Part of this plan is to offer new and former midwifes a golden hello of £3000 to enter, or return to, the profession. On further investigation the support to enter this profession is worth up to £3000 and is intended to cover travelling costs, childcare and a £1500 grant. Criticisms I have heard about this plan are that when these midwives are trained they may not be able to easily find employment. This is because this area of the medical profession is not subject to targets as rigidly as other areas and therefore is one area that cuts are easy to make. Another problem I can see is that the £1500 cash incentive will probably be taxed when they receive it. I know that this happened to teachers that receive a golden hello payment.

Any way well done Alish you are definitely doing a great job and it is good to see someone in this community receiving acknowledgment of the service they are providing.