A pilot programme for midwifery support workers in Craigavon is also being started, so that trained midwives can concentrate solely on the care of patients.

Monday's midwives announcement by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey is on top of a £3.5 million expansion for the hospital's maternity unit announced just a few weeks ago.

But even though the number of births at Craigavon has increased by almost 40 per cent, it will be 18 months before the midwives are in place, and even longer before the proposed expansion, which has still to receive the official go-ahead.

As the 12 midwives started their training at Queen's University, figures released this week showed there were 3,795 births in Craigavon over the past 12 months, compared to 2,850 four years ago.

This is due to a general increase in the birth rate, and to major growths in population in Craigavon, Banbridge, Armagh and Dungannon, all of which use the maternity unit at the hospital.

Mr McGimpsey announced the additional midwives as the 12 students started their training as part of 18 from all over Northern Ireland.

The minister said, "The increasing birth rate across the province, especially in the Southern Trust area, has resulted in additional pressures on maternity services. To help training address this, I have invested in more midwives.

"Recently I announced plans for an expansion of maternity services at Craigavon Area Hospital to enable an additional 300 births every year. We will now see the opportunity for these midwives to qualify and join the existing workforce in 18 months' time."

And it transpired that Craigavon has submitted a multi-million plan for a major expansion of maternity services to cope with the projected increase. A decision on that is expected within the next few months.

A spokeswoman at the hospital said, "As well as an increase in population in our own traditional catchment area, more women from places like Lisburn and the west of the province are coming here to have their babies. It is one of the busiest units in the province."

SUPPORT

Mr McGimpsey commented, "A further measure in the Southern Trust area includes the funding of a pilot programme for midwifery support workers. This will provide extra training for support staff which will allow the midwives to concentrate on helping mothers and babies.

"In Northern Ireland, we are fortunate to have a highly trained and dedicated midwifery workforce. I want to ensure that we strengthen our midwifery service, to ensure that we can continue to deliver high quality, safe and effective services for mothers and babies across Northern Ireland."