For immediate release Monday July 4th, 2011
RCM General Secretary Cathy Warwick will Tuesday (July 5th) join representatives from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and unions representing health workers, including Unite, Unison, health workers, and help hand deliver a giant birthday card to the Department of Health to celebrate 63 years of the NHS. The card will be delivered to the Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley between 9:30 to 9:45 a.m. at the Department of Health’s headquarters at Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2NS.
Carrying a 4-foot high card, the union leaders will highlight concerns that changes the Government is proposing in the Health and Social Care bill, including 180 amendments, will fundamentally alter the bill and undermine the NHS’s basic founding principles.
Cathy Warwick said: “The NHS is a national treasure and should be protected not dismantled. Midwives are some of its many unsung heroines. They work long hours because they want to be with women before, during and after childbirth. The erosion of midwives’ pay and conditions, however, is making working conditions unsatisfactory for midwives because they are not able to give the care that they want to women. Meanwhile, there are not enough midwives to deliver the care that women need now. I have real fears that maternity care could suffer as NHS Trusts struggle to cope with health reforms and the profound change in its structure. ”
The RCM will also be holding a drop-in session for MPs to speak with midwives from the RCM about maternity care and the Health Bill. This will be held in Room M of Portcullis House from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
For more information contact the RCM Press Office on 020 7312 3456 or call RCM Press officer Manuela Da Costa-Fernandes (Manuela.dacosta-fernandes@rcm.org.uk) on 0770 332 1661 Tuesday morning at the birthday card stunt.
Notes to editors
The Royal College of Midwives is the voice of midwifery. We are the UK’s only trade union and professional organisation led by midwives for midwives. The vast majority of the midwifery profession are our members. The RCM promotes midwifery, quality maternity services and professional standards. We support and represent our members individually and collectively in all four UK countries. We influence on behalf of our members and for the interests of the women and families for which they care. For more information visit the RCM website at www.rcm.org.uk.
- A map reference for Richmond House can be found at: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=SW1A+2NS&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x487604c5b07db683:0x2e56c78314c3a015,London+SW1A+2NS&gl=uk&ei=upkITqLfDcmYhQe7-8W4DQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBkQ8gEwAA
- For an image of the birthday card please contact the TUC press office.
- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
TUC Press Office Contacts:
Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Gibson T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: egibson@tuc.org.uk
