Learning from national anti-D incidents
Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) has released a new safety notice focussing on the safe and timely administration of anti-D immunoglobulin (Ig) during the perinatal period. SHOT is the UK’s independent, professional-led haemovigilance scheme. Adverse events and information relating to the transfusion of blood and blood components, including anti-D Ig, are anonymously reported to SHOT […]
A look behind the headlines on Scotland’s maternity services
After a week of more news headlines on the safety of Scotland’s maternity services RCM’s Director for Scotland Jaki Lambert discusses the reality behind the headlines. No midwife or maternity care assistant (MCA) wants to see headlines about women and families not receiving the care they need. Yet this week that’s sadly what we’ve seen, […]
Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s 16 Days guest blog
Domestic abuse is fundamentally a public health issue, with wide ranging and well documented impacts on the mental and physical health of adult and child survivors. Healthcare settings provide a unique opportunity for professionals to intervene in domestic abuse, with research showing that survivors interact more with healthcare than other statutory agency. It is estimated […]
Invest to address: Eradicating inequality has to be a priority
Back in 2023 the RCM worked with a wide range of stakeholders to develop and launch its Decolonising midwifery education toolkit which aims to empower midwifery educators to challenge the legacies of colonial perspectives in all aspects of midwifery education. The toolkit is an important first step in ensuring that future midwives can practise with […]
Mission control: what do the PM’s new missions tell us about the direction of health?
Today [5 December 2024] Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Cabinet decamped to Pinewood Studios, home to James Bond and ‘Would I Lie to You?’, to launch the ‘Plan for Change’, an attempt to inject new purpose into the Government after a sometimes shaky first five months in power. Fixing the NHS is one of […]
Who wants to be a midwife? Reversing the concerning decline in midwifery applicants
Over the past few years, there has been a worrying drop in the number of people applying to midwifery courses in the UK. In fact, applicants for 2024 are down 10% from last year and is the lowest number of applicants we’ve seen in the last six years. Alongside this, this week we received figures […]