The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Northern Ireland has expressed extreme disappointment that while some funding has been allocated towards 2025/26 Agenda for Change pay, it represents only around half of what is needed to restore full pay parity for midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs).
This follows ongoing concerns raised by the health and social care trade unions in Northern Ireland, including the RCM, over repeated broken commitments by the Executive and the Health Minister to maintain pay parity for Agenda for Change staff.
Anne Wilson, National Officer for RCM Northern Ireland, said:
“While this is progress on our pay award, the funding falls significantly short of what is required to restore the promised full pay parity.
“Midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) in Northern Ireland have once again been left waiting for a fair pay award, despite repeated commitments from the Health Minister and Executive. The £100 million currently proposed represents only around half of the funding needed to meet these commitments. This ongoing shortfall continues to leave our members undervalued and demoralised, particularly as colleagues in England and Wales have already received their pay uplifts in August, backdated to April.
“We will continue to contribute constructively to discussions with the Health Minister and other health unions, working together to secure the funding required to ensure midwives and MSWs receive the pay they have earned. Our members deserve nothing less than full pay parity and clarity on when they will receive this.
“The longer this year’s pay award is delayed, the more undervalued our hardworking members feel. Pay is one of the crucial levers in retaining staff and given the current pressures facing midwifery staff across Northern Ireland, what we don’t want to see is staff leaving services, but right now some are considering doing just that because they don’t feel valued. Yet another delay in delivering this year’s pay award is utterly unacceptable.”
The RCM has consistently urged swift action since the publication of the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) recommendations. The RCM remains committed to working with the Health Minister, other health unions and members to ensure the remaining funding required is found and that midwives and MSWs receive the pay awards they have long been due.
