Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Health, Neil Gray, has committed to accelerate action on maternity workforce challenges as he addressed the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) SMiLe Conference.
Speaking to a packed and energised audience on Thursday (13 November), the Cabinet Secretary confirmed that implementation of the Ministerial Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce recommendations will be “turbo-charged” over the next year.
His commitment was in response to members’ questions on improving the skill mix of education programmes and creating ‘earn as you learn’ routes into midwifery for maternity care assistants. The RCM also welcomed his support for ensuring workforce deficits are escalated to board level and that it should not take inspections to identify these gaps. The move was welcomed by midwives and maternity care assistants, who have long called for a strengthened skill mix, clearer development pathways and the support needed to provide safe, high-quality care for women and their families.
Jaki Lambert, RCM Scotland Director, said: “The SMiLe Conference once again showcased the strength, passion and professionalism across Scotland’s maternity services and how much stronger we are when we come together and work collectively. Delegates left feeling inspired and reinvigorated, reflecting the power of coming together to celebrate achievements and looking ahead to the future of our profession.
“The Cabinet Secretary’s commitment to turbo-charge progress on the taskforce recommendations is exactly what midwives, maternity support workers, maternity care assistants and the families we support need to see. We’ve been clear about the urgent need for investment in the workforce, and we’re pleased to see this recognition at the highest level of government.”
The conference also celebrated excellence within the profession through the Celebrating Success Awards. This year’s winners were:
- Student of the Year, sponsored by MIDIRS: Kayleigh Maslyn, Robert Gordon University
- Activist of the Year, sponsored by Thompson Solicitors Scotland: Lynne Ritchie, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
- Maternity Support Worker of the Year, sponsored by K2 Medical Supplies Ltd: Yvonne Fitzsimmons, NHS Ayrshire and Arran
All three were recognised for their exceptional contributions to midwifery, maternity care and the wider RCM community.
An RCM Honorary Fellowship was presented for the first time in Scotland to Gillian Morton MBE, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the midwifery community throughout her career.
