Midwives are battling a bottleneck to get clear to work by Police

The College of Midwives says a new obligation was brought in three years ago - requiring midwives are vetted.

But now that it's time to renew their clearance, midwives are having to wait up to two months for the paper work.

The college's chief executive says it means some midwives have had to step back from their job.

Alison Eddy says they've asked the Associate Minister of Health, Ayesha Verrall, for advocacy.

She says they've been working hard to get traction - but there hasn't been any success.