The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Wales has welcomed an announcement from Welsh Government that electronic health records (EHR) and an app for maternity care will be introduced by March 2026.
Maternity services can deliver safer care with the use of digital technology says the RCM as the EHR will enable pregnant women to access their full maternity records, allowing them to update their own records during their pregnancy. This means midwives and other clinicians will receive real-time updates from the women in their care.
Crucially the RCM says the introduction of the EHR will free up midwives’ time and enable them to spend more clinical time with pregnant women in appointments where they can discuss any concerns and pick up on any potential issues.
Commenting, RCM’s Director for Wales, Julie Richards said:
“We know maternity services can deliver safer and more personalised care using digital technology, so the RCM really welcomes this investment. For too long maternity services have been overlooked and left at the back of the queue when it comes to digital investment. The introduction of an app will undoubtedly improve the maternity experience of pregnant women across Wales. It will enable them to feel more in control of their pregnancy. Having to repeat information to different healthcare professionals can be frustrating, and for some women, particularly those who have experienced previous pregnancy loss, it can be deeply upsetting too. The RCM has been calling for more investment in digital technologies across all UK maternity services, including recommending that a digital midwife should be every health board or trust, so we really welcome this announcement”.
The app will also provide tailored updates after every appointment and timely messages to ensure a healthy and safe pregnancy. Paper notes will be completely replaced by an EHR which the RCM says will mean midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) in Wales will need appropriate training ahead of the rollout. The RCM has already developed a guide on digital record keeping for its members, but says it has called for training and support for its members.
Julie added:
“Midwives and MSWs in Wales are looking forward to going digital, however they will need support to transition to more digital ways of working. Whilst there is a considerable investment, from talking to members there is clearly a need to focus on workforce digital competencies as part of the implementation over the next year. There will be new things to learn and new ways of doing things but introducing digital records and an app will ultimately make our members working life easier and enable them to deliver high quality care to women across Wales.”
ENDS
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NOTES TO EDITORS
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.
