Balance between women’s choices and midwives’ safety must be paramount in application of new NMC principles
New principles published today by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for supporting women’s choices in maternity care are a step forward in bringing much-needed clarity, consistency and confidence to practice, according to the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). The new principles, which involved input from the RCM, have been designed to help midwives and […]
Watch RCM webinar featuring RSV vaccine guidance and advice for midwives
Supporting women to make informed choices about their care is a fundamental element of being a midwife, and support around vaccination is an important part of that. Midwives are often the trusted professionals that pregnant women turn to for advice about vaccination, so ensuring you’ve got all the most up-to-date information is vital. Royal College […]
Bereavement midwives are incredible – they help us embrace pregnancies after loss instead of enduring it
For Rainbow Baby Awareness Week, Rachel Burn, Media Relations Officer at the Royal College of Midwives, shares her personal story of pregnancy after loss – and the vital role her bereavement midwife played in helping her navigate it. When I saw a faint line on a pregnancy test, I had a panic attack. My husband […]
RCM support for new midwifery students
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has today welcomed a whole new cohort of students to the midwifery community, with thousands finding out they have a place at university thanks to today’s A-level results and last week’s Highers. Since results were published this morning, universities have been confirming places for aspiring midwives across the […]
RCM backs faster midwife access – but warns against widening inequalities
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has welcomed a new NHS England initiative that allows women to use an online tool to refer themselves to their local maternity services – cutting out the need to see a GP first. It aims to speed up access to crucial booking in appointments and has already been used […]
Health secretary to address national summit on maternity and neonatal safety
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting will address NHS leaders at a first-of-its-kind summit on maternity and neonatal safety in July. The summit is aimed at Chief Executives and Chairs of NHS Trusts, Boards and Integrated Care Boards to support them in addressing the safety crisis facing maternity and neonatal care. Importantly, delegates will […]
Innovative Welsh team recognised for keeping maternity service users connected and tackling inequalities in care
An innovative project in Wales, which aims to tackle health inequalities by keeping maternity service users connected, has been recognised with a prestigious award. The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for Wales and the Royal College of Midwives Wales (RCM) Quality Improvement award for 2025 was awarded to the Digital Inclusion Maternity Databank, led by Cheri […]
We must have a strategy to fix Northern Ireland’s growing maternity crisis, says RCM
on 30 May 2023 RCM Maternity Services Midwifery Midwives Northern Ireland Director For Northern Ireland Midwife Shortage Older Mothers Diabetes Safe high quality care Safety Staffing Levels State of Maternity Services Report Student midwives Women Women’s Choice Maternity Safety maternity care assistant The need for a maternity strategy in Northern Ireland has gone beyond urgent and is now critical says the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). The RCM’s warning comes as it publishes […]
Midwifery education facing ‘unprecedented challenges’
on 13 September 2023 RCM Maternity Services Midwifery Midwives Government NHS Education Midwifery education facing ‘unprecedented challenges’ says the RCM The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is warning that plans to recruit and educate new midwives will be severely undermined unless substantial and sustained investment is made in midwifery education. The RCM’s State of Midwifery Education report highlights major challenges to the ambitions of […]
RCM urges Government to take opportunity to improve maternity care
on 12 July 2023 RCM Maternity Services Midwifery Midwives Midwife Shortage Safe high quality care Staffing Levels England Funding Government Midwife Training NHS State of Maternity Services Report The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is today offering a ‘health check’ on England’s maternity services with the publication of its State of Maternity Services report. It follows hot on the heels of the NHS long-term workforce plan which was […]