RCM launches member snap poll on extra hours worked

on 11 March 2024 RCM Member RCM RCM Branches RCM Wales RCM Scotland Survey Midwives MSWs - Maternity Support Workers

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is calling all its members in England, Scotland and Wales to take part in its snap poll on additional hours worked which launches today.

The RCM wants to know how many unpaid extra hours its members worked during last week, 4-11 March. Midwives and Maternity Support Workers (MSWs) can let the RCM know by taking this quick poll here.

Last year RCM members that they had worked 100,000 extra unpaid hours in just one week to help keep NHS maternity services running safely.

The RCM has told the Government that services can no longer run on the goodwill of staff and used the results of last year’s poll to highlight the need for more midwives and to campaign to improve pay. The results of RCM member surveys and polls and the power of member evidence to lobby and campaign for change cannot be underestimated say the RCM

Commenting, the RCM’s Director of Employment Relations, Alice Sorby, said:

“We know so many of our members are working over their allocated hours without getting paid extra. This situation is not sustainable and starkly highlights the staffing shortages and challenges that are faced across UK maternity services. Moreover, our concern is for the physical and mental health of our members who are having to sustain excessive workloads and pressures.”

Last year thousands of RCM members took part in this same poll sharing what it was like during just one working week of the year. The RCM says it painted a deeply worrying picture of workplace conditions and the impact that not having enough staff can have on safety.

The RCM’s snap poll launched today (Monday 11 March) and run for seven days until 18 March to enable as many midwives and MSWs as possible to take part. With time being luxury RCM members don’t always have the snap poll will take no longer than 3 minutes for you complete. 

From today members can participate here or scan the QR code on any poster they see on the RCM’s social media channels.

RCM members in Northern Ireland will have their opportunity to take part in April as they are currently being consulted on a long-awaited pay offer by the RCM.