Royal College of Midwives warns postcode lottery is putting mothers’ mental health at risk
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is calling for urgent action to end the postcode lottery in perinatal mental health care across the UK. On World Mental Health Day (10 October), the RCM is launching a new roadmap calling for improvements to perinatal mental health care, as it emerges that: One in four women experiences […]
Historic move sees RCM pull out of NHS Pay Review Body process
In a historic move after two decades the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has announced that it is withdrawing from the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) process for 2026/27. The decision the trade union says ‘it hasn’t taken lightly’ but one they feel is ‘absolutely necessary’ given lack of progress on NHS pay reform for […]
Urgent action needed to address inequalities in maternity outcomes for Black women says RCM
“Shocking inequalities in outcomes for Black women in maternity care must be addressed urgently”, says the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) following an inquiry and publication of a report by The House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee on Black Maternal Health. The report found systemic failings in leadership, training and ethnicity data collection […]
RCM response to Government announcement on national maternity investigation
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has called for urgency and support for staff and families following today’s announcement from the Department of Health and Social Care naming the 14 NHS Trusts that will be part of the new national investigation into maternity and neonatal services. Gill Walton, Chief Executive of the RCM, said: “Now […]
RCM patron Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visits Welsh maternity unit
A maternity service that is leading the way in delivering culturally competent maternity care and improvements outlined in the Welsh Government’s Anti-Racism Action Plan has received royal recognition. The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) patron, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, today visited the midwives and maternity staff at The Grange Hospital to see first […]
Joint agency approach is needed to end the inequality gap in maternal mortality rates says RCM
The Royal College of Midwives has again called for immediate and urgent measures to tackle the inequality of outcomes for women and families using maternity services. The call comes following the publication of the latest MBRRACE-UK report, Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care, into maternal deaths during and immediately following pregnancy between 2021 and 2023. The […]
‘Utterly unfair’ that RCM members in Northern Ireland are still without pay uplift
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Northern Ireland says it’s pressing the Northern Ireland Executive for progress on an overdue pay award for its members. The RCM has described the delay as ‘utterly unfair’ and ‘completely demoralising’ for hard working midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) The Health and Social Care (HSC) Trade Unions […]
RCM Cymru welcomes announcement of new Maternity and Neonatal Oversight Panel
Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Cymru has welcomed the Welsh Government’s announcement of a new Maternity and Neonatal Oversight Panel, which will undertake a current state ‘rapid independent assessment’ of maternity services in Wales. However, the RCM has cautioned that this assessment must strengthen and support the improvement work that is already underway, not derail […]
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 […]
RCM responds to report which finds challenges in maternity safety are systemic
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has welcomed the recommendation of a national approach to tackle maternity safety concerns set out today by the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB). The RCM concurs with the HSSIB scoping report that safety challenges in maternity and neonatal care are the result of national systemic issues and hopes […]