Midwives marching against the cuts

Midwives and RCM staff will take part in the TUC's March for the Alternative in London this Saturday, 26 March, to protest at cuts to public services.

The RCM group will be carrying baby-shaped balloons to join an estimated 100,000 other marchers.
 
RCM general secretary Cathy Warwick, who will join other trade union leaders at the head of the march, said: 'On Tuesday, we saw a small increase in the number of midwives hired in the NHS, but these numbers are not enough. What we are seeing is the tail-end of the previous government’s policies to increase the number of midwives. My fear is that this may be a peak in numbers before the inevitable slide downwards as the financial pressures on the NHS start to bite.'

Cathy said planned and potential cuts to the NHS could be extremely damaging to maternity care, mothers and babies. Her worry is that cuts may be happening by stealth by actions such as freezing vacancies and reducing the use of bank and agency staff.

She said: 'These cuts will mean fewer midwives working in the NHS, putting greater pressure on existing staff and could put more pressure on a maternity service that is already buckling under the weight of the demands on it. The RCM still believes that thousands more midwives are needed to cope with the historically high birthrate and the increasing complexity of births; all of which is putting pressure on maternity services and placing greater demands on midwives’ time.

As well as bearing the blue and white banner, the RCM's group will be carrying balloons to highlight the family-friendly aspect of the march and will hand out campaign stickers reading 'Protect Maternity Services'.

The RCM will be meeting for the march at Point Five on the Embankment, just before Waterloo Bridge, opposite the back of the Savoy Hotel by the end of Victoria Embankment Gardens .