The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) says that women and babies will not be put at risk as it prepares to ballot its members on strike action. The organisation is unhappy with the government's pay rise offer for NHS staff, which the RCM says will equate to an increase of just 4% for the majority of its members.
With inflation currently running at 9.9%, the RCM says that midwives won't be able to cope and has now voted to ballot its members on whether they want to strike. But in doing so, the organisation says it will ensure that women and babies are protected.
In particular, the group says that it will not ask its members to break their code of conduct and that safe services will be maintained. Dr Suzanne Tyler, an Executive Director at the RCM, said: "Our members have spoken and just like us they believe a below inflation pay award is not good enough, they deserve more.
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"The results and turnout speaks volumes about the feelings off a fragile, exhausted, and undervalued workforce, because taking industrial action is always the very, last resort for midwives and maternity staff. They obviously now see no other alternative to getting a fair and just pay award from their governments."
It comes after Donna Ockenden began her review earlier this month into maternity services at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. The new chief executive at that trust pledged full co-operation with the review.
Announcing the NHS pay rise in July, the Government said that over one million NHS staff would benefit from a pay rise of at least £1,400, with the lowest earners receiving a rise of 9.3%. The then health secretary, Steve Barclay, said at the time: "Very high inflation-driven settlements would have a worse impact on pay packets in the long run than proportionate and balanced increases now, and it is welcome that the pay review bodies agree with this approach."
But Dr Suzanne Tyler added: "Governments must step in to stop midwives and other staff from leaving the NHS, particularly at time of staffing crisis when maternity services in England alone are short of over 2,000 midwives. One of the ways to do that is by offering these dedicated and committed professionals the inflation-busting pay rise they and their colleagues deserve.
"Not just for their incredible efforts but also because it is the right thing to do to protect them from the ravages of rapidly rising prices and inflation. This is a sign of just how battered and bruised the maternity workforce is, facing unprecedented demands with too few staff and pay falling way behind the soaring cost of living."
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