Midwives need more time to talk to women about birth trauma, says RCM

It is simply impossible to address birth trauma adequately without addressing the continuing shortage of midwives, the RCM’s Chief Executive Gill Walton has told the UK’s first-ever inquiry into birth trauma. This week the RCM gave its evidence to the inquiry launched by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on birth trauma. Over the next six […]

Time for a resolution on pay as Executive returns says RCM

 ‘Now is the time for a resolution on pay,’ says The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Northern Ireland with the anticipated return of the Executive and an existing commitment from the UK Government on funding for public sector pay. Following a second day of strike action earlier this month by midwives, maternity support workers […]

RCM comments on Panorama’s ‘Midwives under Pressure’ programme

Following the broadcast of Panorama – Midwives under Pressure by the BBC, Gill Walton, Chief Executive of The Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said: “The testimonies of the midwives, the women, and their families are heartbreaking and must be the catalyst for change. We have heard too many stories and read too many reports all […]

Urgently Improve facilities to help midwives and MSWs breastfeed at work, says RCM

Breastfeeding facilities for midwives and midwifery support workers (MSWs) returning to work need urgent improvement, according to a new survey by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). Midwives and MSWs face huge barriers to breastfeeding or expressing milk while at work, including having no suitable places to feed or express, a lack of time to […]

RCM joins rally to protect midwives right to strike

Members and staff of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) will take to the streets this weekend to join the TUC’s Protect the Right to Strike march and rally in Cheltenham. The Government’s Strikes (Minimum Services Levels) Act is, according to the RCM, a ‘draconian and deliberate law which severely limits the ability of unions […]

Second strike shows strength of feeling on pay for members in Northern Ireland

Below freezing temperatures and snowy conditions did not deter hundreds of RCM members in Northern Ireland from taking to the picket lines last Thursday. Midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) certainly did not allow the weather conditions to freeze their spirits or the fight for better pay. Even newly qualified midwives on their first day […]

Everyone has a part to play in stopping racism in the NHS, says RCM

Racism has no place in the NHS in Scotland or anywhere else and it’s everyone’s job, including midwives, to help eradicate it wherever it rears its ugly head, says the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). The RCM is calling on its members in Scotland to complete the ‘Help Us to Tackle Racism’ survey by the […]

Dismantling pay structure is not the answer to the NHS workforce crisis says RCM

Changing the pay structure for nurses and making it separate from the rest of the health care professionals would further deepen NHS workforce crisis the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has cautioned. The warning comes as a Government consultation on creating a new pay scale just for nurses has been launched today. The consultation looks […]

Urgent action needed to reduce truly shocking death rate for new mothers, says RCM

The Government must take urgent and prompt action to reverse the truly shocking rise in the number of women who died during or within six weeks of pregnancy, says the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). Figures released today by MBRRACE-UK show that the maternal death rate has reached levels not seen in over 20 years. […]

RCM CEO Gill Walton talks to BBC Five Live about workforce shortages

Gill Walton spoke to Naga Munchetty about the challenges faced by maternity staff and the impact on safety due to chronic workforce shortages.