Minimum wage rise highlights need for NHS pay reform, says RCM
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has warned that increases to the National Minimum Wage announced in last week’s Budget underline the urgent need to reform NHS pay bands. Last week’s Budget announced that from April 2026, the National Minimum Wage for workers aged over 21 will rise to £12.71 an hour. While the RCM […]
Royal College of Midwives warns slowdown in midwifery workforce growth risks increasing pressure on maternity services
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has expressed concerns following new figures from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) showing a significant slowdown in growth of the UK’s nursing and midwifery register, driven by a sharp fall in international recruitment and an increase in staff leaving the profession. The latest NMC data, released today (Friday […]
Victory for MSWs in Wales as fairer pay deal delivers long-overdue recognition
On Maternity Support Workers Day, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Cymru is celebrating a long-awaited deal which will bring pay rises for maternity support workers (MSWs) in Wales. Following negotiations through the Welsh Partnership Forum, MSWs and other health care support workers in Wales will now be re-banded from Agenda for Change Band 2 […]
RCM Cymru to champion anti-racism in maternity care at Black History Month event
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Cymru is supporting this year’s TUC Cymru Black History Month event – Celebrating our past and protecting our future – highlighting how midwifery and maternity services are helping to deliver the Welsh Government’s Anti-Racism Action Plan. RCM Cymru Maternity Inclusive chairperson Jamie Morris will take to the stage at […]
Reflections on Baby Loss Awareness Week
As Baby Loss Awareness Week comes to a close, Clare Livingstone, Head of Professional Policy and Practice at the RCM, reflects on what it means to midwives and maternity staff who are impacted. Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October) is a time for reflection, remembrance and compassion. It’s a week when families across the UK […]
Midwifery deserves more
When we were told earlier this year that NHS England (NHSE) was planning to develop a new strategy for nursing and midwifery, I was hopeful. Maternity care – and midwifery as a fundamental part of that – has never been under greater scrutiny, or greater pressure. Having a strategy which underpins and enhances the value […]
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 […]
Celebrating ambulance service midwives on National Emergency Services Day: ‘The clinicians really appreciate our midwifery knowledge and skills’
On National Emergency Services Day (9 September), we celebrate the incredible people who keep the public safe in times of crisis. Among them are midwives like Lisa Smith and Aimee Humphreys, who have taken their skills into the ambulance service – supporting paramedics, ambulance clinicians, women and babies in the most urgent and unpredictable moments. […]
Support for midwives as NHS autumn vaccine rollout begins
As the NHS launches its autumn vaccination programme, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is providing members with support, practical tools and evidence-based information to help them respond confidently to questions from women in their care. This autumn, the NHS is offering flu and RSV vaccines to pregnant women. However, for the first time since […]
Big changes for NHS Wales Maternity Support Workers – here’s what you need to know
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has been advocating for fairer pay for Bands 2 and 3 Maternity Support Workers in Wales. Vicky Richards, the RCM’s National Officer for Wales, explains what’s changing – and what you need to do if it affects you. If you’re a maternity support worker (MSW) in Wales, you might […]