The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has called on all political parties to invest in maternity services to ensure that every woman and family that walks through the doors of any maternity service, anywhere in the country, is confident they are receiving the best possible care.
The College has set out its three asks of the next Parliament which will, it says, radically and sustainably improve maternity care:
- Ensuring the right staff are in the right place, supported by the right education and training
- Ensuring maternity services reflect the needs of both the communities they serve and the staff that work in them
- Building a profession that’s fit for the future
Announcing the three asks, RCM Chief Executive Gill Walton said:
“While much of the debate during this election campaign will be about waiting lists, it’s vital that politicians don’t forget about maternity care. For many women, their first major interaction with the NHS and their gateway to other care is through maternity services. That’s a fantastic opportunity to shape healthier lives, for this and future generations, and it deserves investment of time, attention and resource. Midwives and maternity support workers do that day in, day out, and we want to see that level of commitment from policy-makers too.”
The RCM has said they are keen to work with politicians to show them how to build on the good work that’s happening and help them amplify it across all services.
Gill Walton continued:
“We have to learn from the good. We know there’s some great work going on around recruitment and retention of staff, better support for marginalised communities, and more flexibility around routes into midwifery. The RCM wants to be a partner for progress, for the improvements we all recognise are needed in maternity care and midwifery education. I genuinely believe that, by working together, we can build maternity services that are the envy of the world – and that starts with the commitment of the next Parliament.”
Notes to editors:
See the RCM’s full election asks
Election is no excuse to delay already overdue pay rise says RCM
New RCM guide offers practical solutions to maternity safety crisis
RCM leader calls for a revolution in maternity services
