“The more people who said no, the more determined I was”
Professor Laura Abbott has spent more than a decade researching maternity experiences in the criminal justice system, bringing to light the needs of this vulnerable and marginalised minority. From leading pioneering research projects to advising policy-makers, partnering with charities and campaigners and speaking out in the media, Laura is a powerful actor for change. Her […]
Birth reflections
Recent high-profile maternity reviews can leave no doubt about the profound emotional effects of negative birthing experiences. Around a third of women experience birth as traumatic and 4% to 5% of women develop PTSD every year after giving birth, according to the 2024 All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Birth Trauma Inquiry. While complexities and interventions often […]
Assembly election 2027
The Northern Ireland Assembly election is due to take place on or before 6 May 2027. It will determine the 90 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), who will represent communities and shape the government for 2027-2032. RCM Northern Ireland has significantly increased engagement with MLAs from across the political spectrum to ensure that maternity […]
Times are a-changing
I’m sitting writing this as the schools have just gone back, and there is that feeling in the air that the seasons are changing. It’s hard to describe how you know. It’s exactly how I feel about maternity in Scotland – I can feel a change, nothing that you can put a finger on, but […]
Take a break
Following a year of negotiations, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has dropped plans for a one-hour unpaid break and removed the threat of dismissal and re-engagement – also known as fire and rehire. A new Standard Operating Procedure has also been put in place to support staff to take their breaks, with the trust committing […]
United in grief
In his first bereavement care experience, Kurt Lee happened to have personal cultural understanding on his side. “It was a woman who shared a similar background to me; she was East Asian and from a Chinese-speaking country. In our culture, death is a very taboo subject. “Every day, based on the hospital guidelines, the staff […]
Standing proud
Pride is always a vibrant and uplifting occasion, but it is so much more than colourful flags. It is an opportunity to recognise the progress that has been made towards equality while also acknowledging that there is still more work to do to ensure everyone feels safe, respected and valued for who they are. As […]
Kindness of strangers
When Rachel Purdie had a placental abruption, she was taken into surgery for the birth of her third child. The after-effects of the anaesthetic meant she was unable to hold her in order to breastfeed. “I hadn’t had success breastfeeding my first two and I was adamant this time – I wanted it to be a success. […]
Team player
“I wanted to empower [other MSWs] coming through, because I felt the more you’re equipped with information, the better care you can give,” says Lee Barrett of becoming an MSW advocate. Her advocacy is in addition to her day-to-day responsibilities working alongside MSWs, healthcare assistants and midwives in a busy maternity outpatient department that supports between […]
Imposter syndrome
The jump from student to autonomous practitioner is huge in ways hard to imagine before you are in it. Every day is a steady upward curve of learning. My first weeks as a newly qualified midwife (NQM) on labour ward were better than I expected. I was excited to come into work. I trusted that […]