Campaigning for you
As well as supporting midwives, MSWs and MCAs at work, one of the RCM’s most important roles is to campaign on your behalf, from pay to practice, estates to education. We do this in all sorts of ways, from lobbying politicians and policy-makers across the UK to raising the profile of what you do, and its importance, with the public.
Your priorities, our campaigns
As your professional association and trade union, your priorities are our priorities. We build these into our campaigning work, influencing governments, politicians and policy-makers across the UK.
General election 2024
During the recent General Election campaign, we had three clear asks of the next Parliament:
- Ensure we have the right staff in the right place with the right education and training;
- Ensure services that meet the needs of communities and the staff that work in them; and
- Build a profession that’s fit for the future.
As soon as Wes Streeting was appointed as the Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, we wrote to him to remind him of our priorities and the commitments made to maternity services during the election.
General election 2024
Launched in 2022, the Scotland Five Year Plan sets out our ambition for midwives and MSWs/MCAs working in Scotland. This plan provides a broad framework for aligning the share ambitions of maternity professionals, the Scottish Government, the regulator, territorial and special boards, NHS Education Scotland and Health Improvement Scotland to ensure that midwifery and maternity care are safe, sustainable, future focused and always compassionate. Since its launch, we have published progress reports at the start of 2023 and in the summer of that year.
How to fix the staffing crisis
Published ahead of the General Election, this guide for politicians and policy-makers provides a blueprint for fixing the staffing crisis in maternity.
How to fix and improve maternity safety
Published ahead of the General Election, this guide for politicians and policy-makers provides a blueprint for tackling the challenges in maternity safety.
State of Maternity Services reports
Every few years, we publish a report into the State of Maternity Services for each of the four nations. These set out the challenges and opportunities facing midwifery and MSW practice, based on information and input from our members as well as national and regional statistics.
England
The 2023 report sets out the impact of staffing shortages on burnout and maternity safety.
Scotland
The 2023 report calls for more investment to ensure changes in the physical, mental and social health needs of pregnant women can be supported.
Wales
The 2023 report calls for a renewed focus on workforce and staffing levels. The report is also available in Welsh.
Northern Ireland
The 2023 report calls on Northern Ireland politicians to move forward with the long-awaited maternity strategy.
State of Midwifery Education
The ability to recruit new midwives is almost entirely dependent on a strong midwifery education sector. In its 2023 report, the RCM warned that this will be severely undermined unless substantial and sustained investment is made.
Deliver a decent deal
Our Deliver a decent deal campaign highlights the challenges faced by maternity staff, not just around rates of pay but working patterns too. You can find out more about how we work with politicians and policy-makers across the UK to lobby for decent pay and conditions in our NHS pay section.
