We are currently experiencing issues with i-learn which may affect your log in. Please check back again soon for updates.

Midwives say yes to England NHS pay offer

26 April, 2023

3 minutes read

Members of the RCM in England have voted to accept the latest NHS pay offer, following a consultation which closed yesterday.

In a turnout of 48% of eligible RCM midwife and maternity support worker (MSW) members working in the NHS in England, 57% voted to accept the deal, with 43% rejecting.

Alice Sorby, Director of Employment Relations at the RCM, said: ā€œThe offer was not perfect, and it was not everything we asked for or that midwives and MSWs deserve. However, it was a step forward from the Governmentā€™s entrenched position on 2022/23 pay and improved on its directions to the Pay Review Body for 2023/24. It was the power of the collective unions standing together, with our members behind us, that brought the Government to the table and led to this improved offer.ā€

The Governmentā€™s pay offer followed intense negotiations with the RCM and other health unions. It builds on the consolidated Ā£1,400 – or 4% for most RCM members – pay award already imposed for 2022/23. The offer included a non-consolidated lump sum of 2% of an individualā€™s salary, plus a one-off ā€˜backlog bonusā€™. The lump will be worth at least Ā£1,250, with many midwives receiving over Ā£2,000. For 2023/24 there will be a consolidated 5% pay award and an increase to band 1 and the bottom of band 2 of 10.4 per cent. This will see entry-level pay in the NHS increase to Ā£11.45 per hour, bringing a much-needed uplift for lower paid staff, says the RCM.

Alice Sorby added, ā€œI hope now that we can move forward and work together to resolve the issues facing maternity services. This is also about staffing levels, lack of investment and improving working conditions for staff and better care for women, because you cannot have one without the other. Just last week the Government said that the pressure on maternity services was unsustainable. The midwives and MSWs who should rightly receive this pay offer have known that for a long, long time, and many are leaving because the strain is simply too much. We still need to stem the tide of people leaving the NHS. That needs more investment and more staff, and quickly.ā€

There is a meeting of the NHS Staff Council – made up of health unions, employers and Government representatives – on 2 May to discuss the outcomes of the consultations by each union and report back to government.

ENDSĀ 

To contact the RCM Media Office call 020 7312 3456, or emailā€Æmedia@rcm.org.uk.

Notes to EditorĀ 

The RCM had around 25,800 members in England eligible to vote in the consultation.

See also:

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team.ā€Æ 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 theā€ÆRCM | A professional organisation and trade union dedicated to serving the whole midwifery team.

Media releases, News

RCM urges members in Wales to have their say on pay award

2 minutes read

23 September, 2024

Blog

Using guidelines and evidence to support women to make fully informed choices

By Rachel Drain

3 minutes read

23 September, 2024

Cookie options

Some of these cookies are necessary to make the site work. We’d also like to use optional cookies to help improve your experience on the site. You can manage your optional cookie preferences below. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences. Your preferences can be changed at any time.
For more detailed information about the cookies we use, see ourĀ Privacy Policy

Necessary Cookies

Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.

Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used to collect and report information on how our website is used. This helps us to improve the website based on the needs and behaviour of our visitors.

Marketing Cookies

We use marketing cookies to help us improve the relevancy of advertising campaigns you receive.

This site uses cookies to store information on your computer

Royal College of Midwives uses cookies for website functionality purposes. For more information, please review our privacy notice or review the settings tab.