Basildon midwives win almost £750,000 after exposure to dangerous levels of nitrous oxide
More than 120 midwives and maternity staff at Basildon University Hospital, including over 80 Royal College of Midwives (RCM) members, have won almost £750,000 after breathing in nitrous oxide at work at up to 30 times the legal limit. Staff were exposed to high levels of the gas – widely used for pain relief in […]
Royal College of Midwives backs whole-system approach to maternity safety in new national care bundle
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has welcomed a new Maternity Care Bundle published by NHS England, aimed at improving maternity safety, reducing maternal deaths and serious illness, and tackling inequalities in care across England. The RCM was closely involved in the development of the bundle, working alongside NHS England, frontline clinicians, service users, Royal Colleges, regulators, professional bodies and charities. The […]
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 […]
RCM backs faster midwife access – but warns against widening inequalities
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has welcomed a new NHS England initiative that allows women to use an online tool to refer themselves to their local maternity services – cutting out the need to see a GP first. It aims to speed up access to crucial booking in appointments and has already been used […]
RCM publishes results of pay consultation with members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has today published the results of its three-week consultation with eligible members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on the 2025/26 pay award of 3.6%. With the majority in each nation – 81.9% in England, 83.5% in Wales and 77.7% in Northern Ireland – saying they found the pay […]
Health Secretary tells safety summit ‘there will be consequences for Trust Boards for maternity failures’
‘There will be consequences for Chairs and Trust boards for maternity failures.’ That was the message from the Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, as he addressed a room full of NHS leaders today. At a first-of-its-kind summit on maternity and neonatal safety hosted by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the Royal […]
RCM responds to Government’s Ten-Year Plan
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has responded to the government’s Ten-Year Plan for services in England. The RCM says it’s a ‘positive step forward’ that this government’s plan has acknowledged the current working culture in the NHS and the impact that has on the health and wellbeing of staff. Describing the plan as ‘ambitious’ […]
‘The impact you have on the women in your care is huge’ RCM’s Chief Executive tells national conference
‘Every family should leave maternity services whole and healthy’. That is the clear message from the leader of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) as she opened the RCM’s National Conference in Birmingham today. Gill Walton also reminded delegates that ‘the impact your midwifery practice has on women and their families is huge’. Highlighting staffing […]
‘Shocking budget cuts will compromise the delivery of safe maternity care in every way,’ says RCM
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has described the Government and NHS England’s decision to slash crucial ringfenced maternity service funding as ‘utterly shocking’. The devastating decision revealed by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) on the eve of the RCM’s national conference, will see national Service Development Funding (SDF) for maternity services drop from £95m […]
Deploying nursing associates in maternity settings risks undermining safety
‘Maternity support workers (MSWs) have been trained to work in maternity settings and nursing associates have been trained to work in nursing settings. One role cannot replace the other.’ That’s the message from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) in a joint statement on the role of Nursing Associates in Maternity is published. The RCM […]