Dr Kat Barton, chair of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) National Trainee Committee, says workplace issues end up affecting patients.
“Many of us feel overstretched and close to burnout. This reflects staff shortages, working beyond our hours, and knowing that despite our best efforts, the care women receive is being affected.
“We know the safest care comes from teams that are well-supported, well-resourced, and listen to each other and to women and families.
“We need the government to invest in safe staffing at every level, protect our time for training, and support our wellbeing and careers, so we can give women the safe, compassionate care they deserve.”
Recent high profile maternity reviews, which looked at outcomes for mothers and babies, also highlighted concerns about workplace culture, leadership and the ability of staff to raise concerns.
Obstetrics and gynaecology trainees were more positive than average about some aspects of patient safety reporting, the GMC survey indicated, including how to report patient safety incidents and near misses.
A DHSC spokesperson said: “In all the investigations carried out in recent years into failings in maternity services, one of the key lessons has been that members of staff must feel empowered to speak up if they have concerns about workload, or patient safety, and their concerns must be acted upon.
“All NHS trusts are now required to have a dedicated Freedom to Speak Up Guardian and internal pathways for staff to raise concerns about the working environment, patient safety, or their own wellbeing.
“Alongside this, we are continuing to grow and strengthen the workforce to help relieve the pressures on busy maternity units, and there are now a record number of midwives working in the NHS, with over 600 added in the past year.
“Since coming into the role in July, the Secretary of State has made maternity services a personal priority, and the Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce that she is chairing is working to respond to the concerns raised by staff and families alike, and ensure that every maternity unit meets the highest standards of patient safety and care.”