RCM Cymru has taken its campaign for safe staffing and cultural competency to TUC Cymru Congress, tabling two motions calling for urgent action on the issues that matter most to midwives and the women they care for.
Around 28,000 babies are born in Wales every year. Yet services remain under sustained pressure and too many women – particularly those from the Global Majority and those living in deprived areas – face unacceptable inequalities in their care.
Safe staffing in maternity services
Sharon Davies, RCM Assistant National Officer, proposed a motion with five clear asks for maternity and neonatal services in Wales.
The motion builds on the Welsh Government’s own Quality Statement for Maternity and Neonatal Services, published in February 2025.
This acknowledged rising complexity in pregnancy, including increased rates of diabetes, higher BMI and growing perinatal mental health needs, alongside persistent and unacceptable disparities affecting women from the Global Majority.
It is further supported by findings from the February 2026 independent review of the Birthrate Plus methodology and recent Maternity and Neonatal Assurance reviews, which identified serious failings linked to staffing pressures, skill-mix challenges and reduced capacity for education and supervision.
The motion calls on RCM Cymru to:
- Campaign for a fully funded national safe-staffing framework for maternity and neonatal services, aligned with evidence-based workforce tools.
- Press the Welsh Government to implement and deliver the comprehensive perinatal workforce plan.
- Advocate for 52 hours of protected time for multidisciplinary training and supervision.
- Demand transparent reporting of staffing levels and red-flag incidents across all Welsh health boards.
- Champion the wellbeing of midwives and maternity support workers as a core component of maternity safety
Ensuring cultural competency compliance across Welsh health boards
Le Shae Woodstock, a former RCM Student Midwife Forum member, proposed a motion calling on the Welsh Government and all health boards to make high-quality, evidence-based cultural safety and anti-racism training mandatory for all staff, including senior leaders.
Research from Diverse Cymru and MBRRACE UK shows that a lack of cultural competence in care leads to miscommunication, misdiagnosis and preventable harm, with women and babies from the Global Majority experiencing significantly poorer outcomes
Workforce Race Equality Standard data paints an equally troubling picture for staff, highlighting racism, discrimination and blocked progression for workers within NHS Wales.
While some health boards are moving in the right direction, uneven provision across Wales means that where you live can still determine the quality and safety of the care you receive.
The motion sets out what real change looks like: inclusive workplaces, recruitment that reflects the communities served and genuine co-production with diverse communities.
These expectations are underpinned by clear leadership accountability and must align with the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan, the Maternity and Neonatal Quality Statement and the Perinatal Engagement Framework.
Crucially, good intentions will not be enough. Health boards will be required to publicly report measurable annual progress. TUC Cymru must also drive consistent standards across health, develop cross-union resources and advocate for the sustained funding needed to deliver genuinely culturally safe care across Wales.
Julie Richards, RCM Cymru Director, said:
“Every woman in Wales deserves to give birth in a service that is safe, well-staffed and culturally competent and every midwife and maternity support worker deserves to work in one.
“These motions reflect what our members are telling us every day: that the pressures are real, the inequalities are unacceptable and the time for warm words has long passed.
“RCM Cymru is proud to bring this agenda to Congress and we will keep pushing until the Welsh Government and health boards deliver the change that women, families and our workforce deserve.”
