The Scottish Greens have been laying out policy plans ahead of the Holyrood elections on 7 May. The party is hoping for a “breakthrough” result.

They’ve pledged action to make maternity care safer for women, babies and staff. The Greens would introduce earn-as-you-learn routes to bring more people into the midwife profession and ensure that financial barriers don’t put off those who want to train.

And as part of plans to cut the cost of living and protect the environment, the Scottish Greens will introduce a Scottish Repair Voucher scheme. This would allow people to get a discount on repairing household goods at participating manufacturers and retailers.

Safer maternity services

Earn-as-you-learn midwife training is part of a range of measures. These will also include minimum safe staffing levels on all maternity and labour wards.

The Scottish Greens say the changes are vital to ease pressure on overstretched maternity services. And they would ensure women and families get the safe, high-quality care they deserve throughout pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period.

Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay said:

Too many women and families are being let down by a maternity system that is under enormous strain while midwives are being asked to do more and more in overstretched services. That is not fair on them or on the people relying on their care.

For far too long, staff have been carrying the burden of workforce shortages, rising pressure and a system that is too often stretched beyond safe limits. That has real consequences for the quality of care, for staff wellbeing and for the confidence families should be able to have in maternity services.

Dignity, safety and making sure every family gets the care they deserve at one of the most important moments in their lives is crucial. Women should know that when they need care, the right staff will be there, with the time and capacity to support them properly.

That is why the Scottish Greens are committed to introducing minimum safe staffing levels on all maternity and labour wards and expanding the midwife workforce by creating accessible earn-as-you-learn routes into midwifery.

Because, if we are serious about fixing the staffing crisis, we need to remove the barriers that prevent more people from taking up training in the profession in the first place.

On 7 May, people have a chance to vote for the Scottish Greens who will demand better for women’s health, better for maternity care and better for the staff who keep these services going.

Greens to introduce Scottish Repair Voucher scheme

A coalition of charities and waste management groups launched the UK’s first repair voucher pilot scheme in North London in 2025. It allowed residents to get up to 50% off the cost of repairs at participating businesses.

Similar schemes have already proven successful in other European countries, including Austria, France and Germany.

This is part of a package of measures that the party is proposing to reduce waste and save people money. This would include a requirement on some product manufacturers to take back used products, such as mattresses and textiles, at the end of their life.

Mackay said:

If we’re serious about tackling the cost-of-living crisis and the climate crisis, then we have to make it cheaper and easier for people to do the right thing. Our repair voucher scheme will make it cheaper to repair the things we already own rather than buying them again as new.

It is a simple and straightforward way of putting money back into people’s pockets. By covering part of the cost of fixing everyday items, we can help households to stretch their budgets and avoid unnecessary big purchases.

The benefits are wider, as it will also help us to cut waste while supporting local repair businesses. It’s a win for households struggling with the cost of living, and a win for the small businesses rooted in our communities.

These kinds of schemes are already common across Europe and are already helping to support people through the cost of living crisis while reducing waste and protecting our planet. It’s time to do the same in Scotland.

Featured image via the Canary

By The Canary

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