Joined-up working
“As a profession, we’re entrenched in writing longhand notes – that’s why midwives love a free pen,” says Zoe Meneilly, deputy head of midwifery at the South Eastern Trust and chair of the expert working group for the Encompass digital platform. In November 2023, the South Eastern Trust was the first to go live with the […]
Speaking up
Melissa Griffin achieved a first for her research into the assumptions made about Black people, the ways healthcare professionals practice unconscious bias and the effects on care received. Melissa is an RCM activist, a Freedom to Speak up champion, a cultural humility and civility trainer, a maternity safeguarding supervisor and a specialist perinatal mental health […]
Glimmers of hope
In May, the RCM surveyed final-year student midwives on their confidence in finding post-qualification employment as a midwife. More than eight out of 10 student midwives said that they were ‘not confident’ they would find a job once graduating, despite maternity services across the UK struggling with understaffing. Funding cuts and recruitment freezes are to blame, […]
Be the change you want to see
Historically, the advancement and practice of medicine has been the sole preserve of white men. Consequently, much of the knowledge we have today is ingrained with unconscious bias about women and people of colour. So where does that leave maternity care? In teaching this knowledge, are we also continuing to pass on these outdated attitudes […]
Employment advice: On call
Lynne Galvin, RCM regional officer for north of England, discusses what happens when an employer changes ‘on call’ procedures Q: My employer expects us to be on call at busy times, even if it is during time off – what can we do? A: The RCM has a similar ongoing case, so it might be […]
Advertorial: The Generation Study
The Generation Study is a ground-breaking research study sequencing the genomes of 100,000 newborn babies to help understand whether we can improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare genetic conditions. The study is being run by Genomics England in partnership with the NHS in England. The study has three main aims: Identifying rare conditions in babies […]
Communication Corner: Every word counts
Make Birth Better studied the effects of language on psychological safety in maternity and offers some positive things to try “Most of birth trauma stems from poor communication,” says Laura-Rose Thorogood, CEO at Make Birth Better, an organisation dedicated to removing trauma from maternity and supporting professionals to give trauma-informed care. “In our ‘Every Word […]
Perinatal care: the ripple effect
According to The Lancet, one of the best investments in public health is maternity. The right care in the perinatal period can change the health trajectory of entire generations Good midwifery care is the front door of the NHS for hundreds of thousands of women, many of whom won’t have had much experience of the […]
Thank you: RSV vaccination rollout
Midwives are often asked about vaccines during pregnancy, and the information and advice they impart makes all the difference, says Greta Hayward, consultant midwife at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) The year-round respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme for pregnant women, aimed at protecting infants, was launched in Scotland in August 2024, and in […]
Painting a picture of the care women need
How do you get a realistic image of the person in front of you? How can you avoid making assumptions and learn to listen to what they need? It’s the antenatal booking appointment. The woman in front of you is within the first 10 weeks of her pregnancy. You discuss her health, her marital status, whether this […]