Clare Fletcher a third year student midwife today told of her shock
and dismay when she received a demand to repay £400 of her
bursary, after taking time off from her course to have a baby. She
outlined her legal battle to win maternity rights at her union
UNISONÕs health conference in Plymouth. She is currently
awaiting a decision from the Employment Appeals Tribunal on a
test case which is backed by UNISON
Clare Fletcher said:
ÒThe Student Grant Unit were clear – in their eyes, once a woman
took maternity leave she had as good as left her course. In fact it is
the lack of financial provision for maternity leave that forces
women into leaving their courses.
ÒAt the time I felt devastated, I was not getting maternity pay and I
had the expense of a new baby and no idea how I would raise
£400. However the despair soon gave way to determination and I
found that UNISON were already working to end this perverse
policy which leaves pregnant women and their babies at risk.Ó
Clare illustrated the impact of this policy by drawing on the plight of
another trainee midwife involved in the legal test case, Tracy
Parkes. Tracy developed post natal depression when she went
back on the wards just 11 weeks after a caesarean section. So
that she didnÕt lose her bursary – an income her family relied on –
Tracey had been advised to continue with her academic work
while heavily pregnant. She had been working up to 60 hours a
week in order to bank clinical hours for when she needed to take
time off for the baby.
Clare Fletcher added:
ÒStudent nurses and midwives are in a fairly unique situation in the
workplace. Our courses require us to work a 37.5 hour week for 3
full years. We are keenly awaiting the decision of the Employment
Appeal Tribunal. If we win, it will bring maternity rights to many
other vocational trainees.Ó
ends