20th January 2012
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) will be consulting its members before deciding to accept or reject the Government’s proposed changes to the NHS Pension Scheme.
The decision was made at a meeting of the RCM Board decided yesterday (19th January 2012). The consultation will take place after the Heads of Agreement (the offer from the Government on NHS pensions) is finalised. The RCM will be informing its members that the Government’s offer is the best that can be achieved through negotiation. We will also be telling them that rejection of the proposals would imply the need for serious and sustained industrial action because in all likelihood the Government would impose changes to the pension scheme.
Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “We are seeking the views of members so that the RCM Board can make a final decision. The RCM will continue to campaign on the issue of midwives working longer. We remain concerned that the vast majority of midwives will not be able to meet the physical and mental demands of the profession when they are nearly seventy and, may not be able to provide the care that women expect and deserve.
"The Government has not explained why it has chosen to allow the uniformed services including the police and fire service to retire earlier, but will not give this protection to NHS workers. We do not believe that NHS workers should be treated differently from other emergency workers. We believe that the vast majority of the public would agree that midwives should not be forced to work until they are nearly seventy given the nature of work that they do.
“We will continue to campaign for midwives and other NHS workers to be treated the same as the emergency services and have a protected retirement age.”
In a survey of RCM members taken last year 91% of respondents disagreed that they should be forced to work until they are 68.
For more information contact the RCM Press Office on 020 7312 3456, pressofficer@rcm.org.uk.
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.
