RCM comments on new NHS Pay Review Body report

on 22 July 2019 NHS Pay Review Body

Important to ensure midwives and maternity support workers receive fair pay for the valuable and demanding work they do says RCM.

Today the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) has published its latest report.

Commenting on the report, Jon Skewes, Executive Director for External Relations at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said: "Whilst there are no recommendations for pay in the report because of the current three year pay settlement, there are some important issues highlighted. These include the need to safeguard pensions, and the need to assess pay across many years so that NHS staff pay does not fall behind over the long term.

"The RCM will be looking to build on the existing three year settlements in England, Scotland and Wales in the future alongside all the NHS unions. We remain hugely concerned about the failure in Northern Ireland to keep up with these settlements.

"The report rightly points out that staff satisfaction with pay has increased but we need to ensure that this increased satisfaction is maintained, indeed improves, and this will rely on ensuring fair pay deals in the future. The improvement shows that the three year pay settlement is a good start but we need to continue this work of valuing NHS staff.

"The NHSPRB stress the continuing pressure on staff due to excessive workloads and the ability of this to undermine staff morale. There are still many midwives working often unpaid overtime and showing extreme goodwill to ensure services remain safe and of high quality.

"I am very pleased that the report highlights the RCM's concerns about maternity support worker banding and pay. There is clearly a need to ensure that these very important members of the maternity team are fairly rewarded for the work they do.

"Moving forward it is important that we continue to ensure our midwives, maternity support workers and their NHS colleagues receive fair pay for the valuable and demanding work they do for mothers, babies and their families."

Access the NHSPRB report can here.

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Notes to editors

 

The RCM is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences and online resources. For more information visit the RCM website at https://www.rcm.org.uk/