Earlier this year the RCM consulted on revisions to the job evaluation matching profile for midwifery – bands 4, 5 and 6. Now the NHS Job Evaluation Group is consulting on proposed revisions for midwifery – bands 7 and above. This follows calls from the RCM having highlighted that the current profiles haven’t been reviewed for many years. The RCM says its members roles have evolved, and new roles have developed in maternity services, so this review has never been more important.

The RCM will be submitting a response to the consultation itself and wants to know your views on the proposed changes, particularly if you are an RCM steward, head or director of midwifery or a trained job matcher.

Your feedback will inform the RCM’s response, and you can have your say by completing this short questionnaire here. You have until 22 November to respond and be included in the RCM’s response.

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

“All NHS staff should be properly paid and valued for the work that they do, and that includes midwives and MSWs. Despite this, we know that for many years, where staff have challenged their banding and asked for job descriptions to be updated, this has been met with significant push back and where a re-banding application has been requested the process has been protracted.

“The RCM supports the NHS Job Evaluation Scheme, but it requires investment and capacity building. There has been a lack of investment over several years and the RCM is calling for this to be addressed.”

The RCM is also encouraging stewards and job matchers to work in partnership with Heads of Midwifery to submit a separate response. This, the RCM says, should involve the following:

• Identifying any jobs at that band that would not match the draft profiles
• Identify what additional types of knowledge, training and experience you would expect someone to have to be able to carry out the roles
• Assessing whether the increased responsibility factors or planning, policy and patient care adequately describe the way in which additional knowledge is applied in the roles
• Describing the way in which additional knowledge is applied in the role in relation to skills application, responsibilities and/or decision making

The Job Evaluation Group has produced a document that compares the existing profiles with the proposed drafts to help with your response, you can find that here. The consultation is open until 15 December 2024

The overall aim is to ensure that the updated profiles are fit for purpose and responses should be submitted using the online form here.