Chancellor’s Spending Review is high on hope but low on detail
The Royal College of Midwives has given a cautious welcome to the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, announced today. Gill Walton, Chief Executive and General Secretary of the RCM, said: “Midwives, maternity support workers and student midwives will have been hoping for more of an indication that this Government understands the desperate need for investment in […]
New Midwifery T Level Placements Launch in Greater Manchester: A Positive Step Forward for Future Midwives
Young people in Greater Manchester are accessing hands-on NHS career experience after the launch of a new T Level midwifery placement programme, addressing urgent workforce needs within the healthcare sector. In a welcome development for aspiring midwives, college students can now gain real-world experience through NHS placements in midwifery, with more opportunities being rolled out […]
MIDIRS celebrates Pride 2025
This Pride Month, MIDIRS is spotlighting the wealth of LGBTQ+ midwifery research available on our MIC database. As part of our commitment to inclusivity we are proud to release a free, curated Search Pack on LGBTQ+ parenting, offering a wide range of literature that celebrates and explores the diverse experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals and families […]
RCM announces details of consultation with members on pay award
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has announced plans to consult with its members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on the 3.6% pay award. Last week the RCM cautiously welcomed the news that the governments in all three nations had accepted the pay recommendations from the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) in full. On […]
Closer collaboration needed to tackle stark inequalities revealed in latest Saving Babies’ Lives report says RCM
Improving maternity outcomes must be a national priority across all UK governments, says the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in response to the latest Saving Babies’ Lives progress report, from Sands and Tommy’s joint policy unit. The RCM is calling for urgent, coordinated action to address persistent inequalities and prevent avoidable deaths. The report states […]
RCM calls for clearer guidance and better support around fetal movement following SANDS research
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is calling for renewed focus on how concerns about baby movements during pregnancy are addressed in maternity care, in response to the publication of a learning report led by baby loss charity SANDS and King’s College London. The project sought to understand the challenges in sharing information and guidance about baby movements and what needs to […]
Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth programme pilot concludes successfully
A pilot of the Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) programme, delivered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives and The Healthcare Improvement Studies (THIS) Institute at the University of Cambridge, has successfully concluded. Avoidable brain injury acquired during labour (intrapartum care) can have devastating consequences for babies and their […]
RCM Cymru says new report must be used as ‘an opportunity to drive meaningful change’
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in Wales has renewed its call for urgent, system-wide change, following the publication of the Llais report into maternity experiences in Swansea Bay. The report highlights recurring and deeply concerning themes, including variation in care, communication issues, inconsistent postnatal support and barriers to raising concerns. These mirror the findings […]
RCM members in Scotland vote to accept pay offer
Midwives and maternity care assistants (MCAs) working in the NHS in Scotland have voted to accept a two year pay offer of just over 8%. The RCM’s three-week consultation with its members resulted in 80.1% of respondents voting to accept the offer, with the RCM saying it was ‘a step towards addressing long term pay […]
New perinatal mortality inequalities MBRRACE-UK figures of deep concern, says RCM
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has expressed deep concerns about growing inequalities in care outcomes, as revealed in the latest MBRRACE-UK perinatal mortality surveillance report. While the annual report, which tracks deaths of babies before and shortly after birth, shows that the UK’s overall perinatal mortality rate has continued to decline, neonatal mortality in the most […]