The “Ask a Midwife” service, run by a team of midwives from Humber and North Yorkshire Local Maternity and Neonatal system, has won a prestigious award from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).
The RCM’s Outstanding Contribution to Midwifery Services: Digital award recognises the role that digital innovation can contribute to maternity services, safety and the health and wellbeing of women, babies, families and communities throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.
The Yorkshire-based service, which offers emotional and social support via Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, routinely answers over 600 messages a month and posts public health information daily. Midwives send a personal response when staff are online, alleviating the need to wait for appointments, and offer advice, reassurance and information while easing the clinical workforce burden. One post even saved a baby’s life following the mother’s prompt action after reading it.
At the awards ceremony in London, the RCM’s Chief Executive, Gill Walton, said: “Social media is a part of all of our lives, and what this team has done is use it to make it easy for women using their service to get quick reassurance and advice. Women get a swift response and concerns can be escalated quickly. Not only that, but this sort of digital triage means that clinic times can be used more effectively.”
Such is the success of the service that the team has been approached by other Trusts wanting to replicate the model. They are now developing a franchise pack to enable sharing of information and consistency of service.
ENDS
To contact the RCM Media Office call 020 7312 3456, or email media@rcm.org.uk
Notes to Editors
- For more information on the RCM awards visit here: https://www.rcmawards.com/
- Individual media releases on each winner or winning team available on request, email media@rcm.org.uk.
About the RCM
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance, and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences, and online resources. For more information visit the RCM | A professional organisation and trade union dedicated to serving the whole midwifery team.
