Midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) working in the HSC in Northern Ireland have had their say on the overdue 5.5% pay award announced in December.

Following a two-week consultation the RCM says 76 percent of its members who voted said the 2024/25 award is acceptable as a step towards addressing the long term pay cuts they’ve suffered, while 24 percent have voted to say they feel this pay award is unacceptable.

The RCM says the consultation was crucial in gauging the feelings of its members and has thanked all those who took the time to respond.

Commenting, RCM’s Director for Northern Ireland, Karen Murray said:

“We are pleased that this headline pay award is above inflation and begins to address the pay cuts our members have faced over the past number of years. It’s a step in the right direction. It is also a consolidated, across the board increase which the RCM had called for. It was important for the RCM to understand how our members felt about this pay award so thanks to each and every member who responded to this consultation. What’s important now is that our members see this long-awaited pay increase reflected in their pay as quickly as possible as they’ve waited long enough.”

The RCM says the 5.5% pay rise will be backdated for all Agenda for Change (AFC) staff to May 2024. A memorandum of understanding has also confirmed that full parity will be maintained and that the remaining one month of April will be paid at a later date.

As part of the 2024/25 pay award the RCM says it pleased a new intermediate pay point introduced for bands 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d and 9 to which staff may progress after two years at the respective band, will be recognised as effective from 1 June 2024. HSC on-call arrangements will also be reviewed in line with the pay award of 5.5%

Karen added:

“It’s crucial we get this pay process back on track as its been hampered over the past number of years  by the lack of a functioning Executive and deficits in the funding available for the health service in Northern Ireland. This has left our hardworking members in limbo when it comes to their pay. To grow and retain our current midwifery workforce, staff need to be properly recognised for the contribution they are making to improve safety and deliver high quality maternity care to women and their families across Northern Ireland.”

The RCM says while its members wait to receive their 2024/25 by uplift, its work is well underway on the 2025/26 pay award. In November the RCM submitted its evidence to the Pay Review Body (PRB) and just last week RCM staff joined by members gave oral evidence to the PRB about the impact pay has on recruitment and retention. The RCM also highlighted how delays in the pay process, particularly during a cost-of-living crisis have impacted their members. You can read more on that  here.