What qualifications do I need to become an NHS midwife?

You need a midwifery degree approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and NMC registration. Some universities offer direct entry programmes, while others require nursing qualification first.

What is the difference between hospital and community midwives?

Hospital midwives work on labour wards, antenatal, and postnatal units providing acute care. Community midwives provide care in women's homes and clinics, focusing on low-risk pregnancies and continuity of care.

How much do NHS midwives earn?

Under the 2026/27 pay scale, NHS midwives typically start at Band 5 (approximately £32,000-£39,000), with experienced midwives at Band 6 (£40,000-£48,000), team leaders at Band 7 (£49,000-£57,000), and consultant midwives at Band 8 (£58,000+).

Which NHS trusts hire midwives in London?

Major NHS employers for midwives in London include Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and more.

Midwife Jobs in London

NHS midwifery posts cover antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care across hospital labour wards, birth centres, and community caseloads. Community midwives tend to manage their own caseload with more autonomy, while hospital-based midwives work shifts covering labour ward, triage, and postnatal wards. Posts start at Band 5, with senior and specialist roles at Band 6-7.

15 live vacancies in London · 9 NHS employers · updated hourly

View all NHS jobs in London

Open Positions

£40k - £65k

Salary Range

NHS Trusts

New This Week

Working in Midwife roles in London

London has more NHS employers than any other UK city. Roles span major teaching hospitals, standalone specialist centres like Great Ormond Street, community trusts, and mental health providers. High-cost area supplements of up to 20% apply to most posts. For midwife candidates, this means roles can appear across acute hospitals, community services, specialist teams, mental health providers, and integrated care settings depending on the local NHS workforce mix.

Job Clerk is currently tracking 15 live midwife vacancies in London from 9 NHS employers. New posts can include permanent, fixed-term, bank, part-time, and rotational opportunities, so it is worth checking both the broad Midwife results and the band-specific pages below.

Recent salary data for these midwife roles ranges from about £39,959 to £65,261 per year, depending on band, specialist experience, and whether high-cost area supplements apply.

Common work areas

Autonomous caseload management (community) or shift leadership (hospital)
Risk assessment and escalation for high-risk pregnancies
Newborn and infant physical examination (NIPE) where qualified
Perineal repair and emergency skills (shoulder dystocia, PPH, neonatal resuscitation)

Typical requirements

NMC registration as a midwife
NIPE qualification (essential or desirable for many Band 6+ posts)
Specialist training for roles in fetal medicine, education, or public health
Supervisory or practice assessor experience for senior roles

Local employers

MSI Reproductive Choices
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Bands hiring in London

Current midwife pages for London include Band 6 and Band 7. Use these band pages when you want salary expectations, seniority, and job descriptions narrowed to a specific level.

Local practical context

Most major NHS sites are reachable by Tube, Overground, or bus. Commuting from outer London or the home counties is common, and journey time should factor into shift-based role decisions.

London is the most expensive UK city for housing. Inner London posts receive a 20% HCAS (capped at roughly £5,800-£8,700 depending on band), outer London 15% (roughly £4,500-£5,800), and fringe areas 5%. The zone is determined by workplace postcode, not home address, so two hospitals a few miles apart can fall in different zones. After tax and NI, the net benefit is roughly 65-72% of the headline figure.