Pay in Scotland
Pay in Scotland is negotiated through collective bargaining. The RCM, in conjunction with the other trade unions, has submitted a joint broad claim as a basis for beginning negotiations on pay for 2024/2025. A meeting is scheduled to begin discussions with the Cabinet Secretary.
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The pay offer
RCM members in Scotland vote to accept pay offer
Midwives and maternity care assistants (MCAs) working in the NHS in Scotland have voted to accept a 5.5% pay offer.
The RCM’s consultation with members in Scotland closed on 18 September, the results are below:
- 25.71% of RCM members in Scotland took part.
- 83% of members voted to accept.
- 17% of members voted to reject.
The pay increase will be backdated to 1 April the day it was due, and the RCM is calling for a swift implementation so members can see the uplift in their salaries as quickly as possible.
The current position for NHS Pay in Scotland is that this will be negotiated with Trade Unions through collective bargaining.
Early next week Emma Currer National Officer for the RCM in Scotland will meet with the collective Staff side of the Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee (STAC) to collate all the Scottish NHS health unions consultation results. They will them inform the Scottish Government of the overall outcome on the 5.5% pay offer.
The Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee (STAC) is a partnership organisation which exists to collectively negotiate terms and conditions issues for NHS Scotland staff. It is made up of officials appointed from the Scottish Government Health Workforce Directorate, employers and trade unions.
Our position
This is a good offer that gives our members most of what they had been asking for, including an above inflation pay award and a commitment to reform of NHS pay bands. While pay is crucial, this was also about midwives feeling seen and valued. Improving retention through better working conditions, professional midwifery issues and the wellbeing of staff are also key components of this. Most importantly, it was also about our members standing tall and being prepared to take action to ensure better care for birthing people, babies and their families.
Now this deal is in place, we can start work in earnest on addressing the other issues covered by it through the non-pay elements and the Scottish Government Ministerial Task Force for midwives and nurses. This means the RCM and other health unions working with the Scottish Government to put into action their firm promises to address the rising pressures on services, the growing staffing shortages, and invest in maternity services and the wider NHS.
This offer also includes elements of an earlier one rejected by RCM members in a consultation in December (2023/22?). This includes the continuation of overtime payments for senior midwives, making a significant difference to their pay, and retaining the enhanced mileage allowances for staff using their cars for work. It also includes plans to reduce the working week to 36 hours with no loss of earnings.
This proves that when midwives, MSWs and their NHS colleagues take a stand, governments must listen and act. It also proves that when all parties sit around a table and negotiate in good faith, the result is happier staff, which means better care, which at bottom is what we are all striving for.
Non-pay elements
It was agreed that work would be undertaken to review and modernise parts of the Agenda for Change (AfC) terms and conditions of service agreement. Three of the areas identified for review were: protected learning time, reduction in the working week and review of Band 5 nursing role
Following intense work over the summer of 2023, the working groups issued recommendations to the Scottish government. In a significant win for RCM members in Scotland, we can confirm that we have secured agreement and implementation for:
- Protected Learning Time to be implemented with effect from 1 April 2024. The learning covered by these changes is that which must be completed in NHS Employer time. It includes statutory, core mandatory, and role specific training. Health Boards will be asked to outline the mandatory training and core role specific training requirements by job family, and the frequency with which learning is refreshed, by 1 April 2024.
- Reduction in the working week. This will reduce the standard working week (with no loss of pay) for all NHS staff in Scotland from 37.5 hours (wte) to 36 hours – in three years. The first of three staggered 30-minute reductions in the full-time working week for all AFC staff will start from 1st April 2024.
- The review of Band 5 nursing role was also agreed. The scheme will support Band 5 nurses who are working above their grade to submit regrading reviews.
The Scottish Government has also confirmed that work around the monitoring of completion rates during working hours and examining the “Once for Scotland” approach to mandatory training and training passports is underway.
