Andrew Dickens Afternoons

It’s very hard not to sympathise with midwives and their current quest for better pay and conditions.In fact, I’d say it was impossible.After they’re the selfless heroes who bring life into the world at all times of the day and night. They provide help, advice, support and expertise to mother and child. Their job deals with the core emotions and physical processes that create families and hence society.So when they rally for better pay and conditions the feelings are palpable and the response is easy. They deserve more.At yesterday’s rally's we were told that midwives were paid between 7.23 and 12 an hour which shocked many. After all isn’t that illegal. It’s below the minimum pay.But it’s because their pay model is at odds with an hourly rate. To talk about hourly rates is to compare apples to oranges. So the real conversation should be about the model itselfMidwives get 2300 per client. That doesn’t vary despite differing complexities or even the midwives experience. It means most midwives are getting betwe