_{jennifer.buckley@nhs.net}

The branch chair presides over meetings and is the key person controlling the meetings, maintaining good order, ensuring that all members have an opportunity to express their views and deciding when a subject needs to be put to a vote. It is the chair’s responsibility along with the secretary to draw up an agenda. Full guidance can be found in the Branch Governance Handbook.

The branch secretary is responsible for the smooth running of the branch, arranging meetings and keeping members informed of branch/headquarter activities. The secretary is the official correspondent of the branch with the RCM, trusts/boards and other organisations. In this respect, headquarters will send information of RCM matters and policy to the secretary and will receive details of branch activities from their members.

Stewards recruit, represent and support members in the workplace. They are advocates of the RCM and ensure that the members they represent are able to deliver high quality care to women. No two workplaces are the same, and the situations a steward can encounter will differ from those of stewards in other workplaces/trusts/board.

_{lindsay.clark4@nhs.net}

The branch Treasurer duties include paying bills, scrutinising expenditure, informing the branch of its financial position, advising on the necessity to raise funds and preparing statements of receipts. The Treasurer is responsible for the proper recording of all financial transactions. It is not the responsibility of the Treasurer to raise money; the Treasurer is acting for the branch and RCM headquarters. Resources to support you with your branch finances are available.

_{rachel.cavill3@nhs.net}

RCM learning representatives are workplace representatives who assist and advise other members on their training and development needs and promote opportunities to access learning. This role advises members on their training and development needs, promotes opportunities to access learning and organises learning events for their branch. The Learning Rep has a key role in welcoming and supporting Early Career Midwives (ECM) as the join the workplace and in the first three years of their career.

Thursday 23rd January 2025

_{Board Room, Modular Building SGH F2F or link will be sent for virtual attendance.}

_{5 members minimum are required to attend to be able to vote in our branch officers and activists for the year.}

Stewards recruit, represent and support members in the workplace. They are advocates of the RCM and ensure that the members they represent are able to deliver high quality care to women. No two workplaces are the same, and the situations a steward can encounter will differ from those of stewards in other workplaces/trusts/board.

What do stewards do?

• Represent the members where necessary.

• Perform individual casework and conduct some negotiations.

• Provide feedback to members at meetings.

• Support the RCM national officer/regional officer/organiser.

What’s in it for me?

• Easily transferable skills that will assist in your career development.

• A role in contributing to the changing role of the midwifery team.

• Gaining greater knowledge of the midwifery profession and service developments.

Increased confidence and self-esteem.

rcm_role_stewards_2021_16pp_final.pdf

Learning Representative

RCM learning representatives are workplace representatives who assist and advise other members on their training and development needs and promote opportunities to access learning. This role advises members on their training and development needs, promotes opportunities to access learning and organises learning events for their branch. The Learning Rep has a key role in welcoming and supporting Early Career Midwives (ECM) as the join the workplace and in the first three years of their career.

What do Learning representatives do?

• Signposting colleagues to learning opportunities both professional and personal

• Organising learning and development events

• Raising awareness on functional skills and assisting members to address these

• Supporting members in their preparation for appraisal and NMC revalidation (midwives)

• Promoting the value of informal learning

• Liaising with management on furthering the learning agenda for midwives and MSWs.

• Welcome ECMs to the workplace

• Introduce ECMs to the RCM Branch

• Provide pastoral support and signpost to other reps as required

What’s in it for you?

• Acquisition of easily transferable skills that will assist in your career development.

• Increased confidence and self-esteem.

• Gaining greater knowledge of the learning agenda within the NHS.

• The satisfaction of making a difference to members’ working lives, helping others.

Reasonable time off to carry out your duties.

rcm_role_learning-representatives_2021_12pp_final.pdf

Health & Safety Representative

RCM Health and safety representatives represent and support members in the workplace in all matters relating to health, safety and well-being in the workplace. They advise other members on health and safety policy and procedures which may have an impact on their working environment. Responsibilities include investigating potential hazards and the causes of accidents and making representations to the employers on health, safety and welfare matters.

What do Health and safety representative do?

• Enable effective co-operation in promoting and developing a healthy and safe workplace.

• Investigate potential hazards and investigate the causes of accidents.

• Investigate complaints by any RCM member and make representations to the employer on such matters.

• Carry out inspections in accordance with health and safety regulations.

What’s in it for you?

• Acquisition of easily transferable skills that will assist in your career development.

• Increased confidence and self-esteem.

• Training in health and safety matters.

• The satisfaction of making a difference to members’ working lives, helping others.

• Reasonable time off to carry out your duties.

rcm_role_health_and_safety_reps_2021_12pp_final.pdf

MSW Advocate

The RCM believes that MSWs are a vital part of maternity teams across the UK and we want to make sure that the voice of MSWs is being heard in maternity workplaces. We also want to ensure that the RCM understands the needs of our MSW members so that we can support, represent and promote you effectively. We are building a strong network of MSW advocates across the UK.

MSW advocates will:

• act as spokespeople and provide peer support to MSW members and MSW day lead

• work with other RCM activists in your local branch and workplace

• keep MSW members and other RCM colleagues informed of changes in the workplace and RCM-related news and information

• have access to RCM materials and resources for campaigns and branch events

• advise the RCM on the development of its membership offer to MSWs

• promote the RCM as the union of choice for MSWs in their workplaces and recruit members

_{katie.bryant10@nhs.net}

The RCM believes that MSWs are a vital part of maternity teams across the UK and we want to make sure that the voice of MSWs is being heard in maternity workplaces. We also want to ensure that the RCM understands the needs of our MSW members so that we can support, represent and promote you effectively. We are building a strong network of MSW advocates across the UK.

RCM Health and safety representatives represent and support members in the workplace in all matters relating to health, safety and well-being in the workplace. They advise other members on health and safety policy and procedures which may have an impact on their working environment. Responsibilities include investigating potential hazards and the causes of accidents and making representations to the employers on health, safety and welfare matters.

https://rcm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/_wpfd/2024/06/rcm_role_health_and_safety_reps_2021_12pp_final.pdf

Stewards recruit, represent and support members in the workplace. They are advocates of the RCM and ensure that the members they represent are able to deliver high quality care to women. No two workplaces are the same, and the situations a steward can encounter will differ from those of stewards in other workplaces/trusts/board.

https://rcm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/_wpfd/2024/06/rcm_role_stewards_2021_16pp_final.pdf

The Royal College of Midwives is at the heart of the midwifery community, run by midwives and maternity support workers for midwives and maternity support workers. As both a professional association and a trade union, we are here to support you throughout your professional life. We have branches in most Trusts and Board in the UK and in the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands and we work with midwifery societies in our universities too. Our members have exclusive access to great career development opportunities, excellent conferences and events, many of which are free, and support in the workplace. We also work with governments across the UK to influence pay, terms and conditions and the way maternity care is staffed and delivered.

If you are an MSW, MCA, UK-qualified midwife or a student midwife join here:

https://rcm.org.uk/join-us/rcm-application-form/

Full member

MSW member

Student member

*Workplace advice and representation from trained representatives

*Advice while on placement

*Access to i-learn and over 100 e-learning modules

*Full access to the RCM career framework

*Access to the full range of RCM publications and guidance

*Free attendance at RCM Conferences and a range of face to face and online events throughout the year

*Midwives magazine sent quarterly

*Access to work related legal services

*Access to non work related legal services including personal injury, road traffic accidents, medical negligence, free will writing and reduced rate conveyancing

*Access to free financial advice including financial wellbeing, mortgages, pensions and savings.

*Opportunity to represent your country/region as an RCM activist or Student Midwife Forum rep.

*Opportunity to request a student elective placement

*Student welcome pack, including vaginal examination toolkit

*Access to grants for student midwifery societies

*Access to the RCM library and and database resources

Position statements are updated every three years, or more frequently if there is a policy change which impacts the issues covered.

Decolonising practice in midwifery

RCM_Position-Statement_Decolonising_midwifery_8.pdf

Using digital technology has reaped benefits for midwives, their colleagues, and the women in their care. It continues to improve the sharing of information and reduced burden of duplication and errors.  Just as with more traditional forms of record keeping, maternity staff have a professional obligation to keep clear, accurate and timely records of the care given is paramount. Digital record keeping streamlines local and national data collection, supporting the delivery of safer care and improving women’s experience through pregnancy and beyond. 

The RCM’s key principles for record keeping, to use in combination with the NMC record keeping code and local record keeping guidelines, are:

• Midwives and MSWs must receive appropriate training for the electronic record system used in their organisation. Each midwife or MSW is responsible for ensuring this is maintained and updated as required when the system is updated or changed.

• Midwives should ensure they are up to date with their Information Governance (IG) training and are aware of how to use the electronic record to support IG.

• Midwives and MSWs should audit their own records regularly in keeping with local guidance and be aware of data which is collected from the electronic system to ensure they support this collection.

• Midwives should be familiar with local business continuity procedures in case of faults, cyber-attacks, or downtime.

26 November, 2024

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has today launched a series of publications, Getting the Midwifery Workforce Right, to support those working in and managing maternity services to create the most appropriate workforce for their settings.

A direct line can be drawn between the priority given to funding maternity services, the size and shape of the workforce and the overall safety of women and babies. The RCM’s new publications provide evidence-based good practice and professional judgement and consensus to get the workforce right, whatever the setting.

Said Sally Ashton-May, Director of Midwifery Policy and Practice:

“To get the midwifery workforce right, the pillars of the profession – clinical practice, education, research, leadership and management, and the different environments where midwives work – must be considered.

“These publications should be used to guide both strategic decision-making and local service delivery when it comes to establishing and maintaining an effective workforce. By working together, healthcare providers, education institutions and policy makers can ensure a robust and sustainable workforce which can provide competent and safe care while adapting to evolving maternity care needs and challenges.”

Each publication can be used individually or collectively depending on the needs of the services. The series reflects the differences in clinical settings for each of the four home nations and encompasses workforce planning, skill mix, lifelong learning and development and strong midwifery leadership and management.

RCM Quality & Standards Advisor, Emma Rose, explains how a new practice framework for Routine Pulse Oximetry Testing for Newborn Babies can help reduce health inequalities.

25 November, 2024

Routine Pulse Oximetry Testing for Newborn Babies has been published by the British Association for Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) in partnership with expert stakeholders including the Royal College of Midwives’ fellow and Principal Educator for NHS Education for Scotland, Dr Tom McEwan.

The framework aligns with the RCM recommendations for decolonising practice which reasserts the NHS Race and Health Observatory’s (RHO) call for removing white normative standards within traditional newborn assessments that continue to be used regardless of their ineffective applicability to neonates with varying skin tones. The RCM support RHO’s recommendations for pulse oximetry use as well as the routine use of transcutaneous bilirubinometer (TCBR) screening for jaundice assessment both in hospital and community settings.

The framework provides standardised guidance for routine pulse oximetry testing of all asymptomatic newborn babies of 34 weeks and above. Research shows that this supports timely investigation and treatment of unwell babies, while reducing unnecessary investigations in babies with delayed cardio-respiratory adaptation (ie healthy babies) and parent-baby separation. The framework includes clear care pathways for routine testing within 24 hours of birth and advice on provision in midwife-led settings including homebirths.

While many maternity units have already implemented routine pulse oximetry testing, variations and gaps in provision still exist across the UK and this contributes to health inequalities. This national, evidence-based framework therefore provides an invaluable resource for services that have struggled with or have yet to commence implementation.

Last year the NHS Race and Health Observatory (RHO) Review of Neonatal Assessment and Practice in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Newborns report highlighted that visual assessment of cyanosis in babies with skin tone variation leads to high numbers of false positives and false negatives, contributing to health disparities. Routine pulse oximetry for all newborns over 34 weeks reduces reliance on inequitable visual assessments and ensures midwives and maternity support workers/maternity care assistants are trained and familiarised with an evidence-based assessment tool. Routine use also normalises the use of pulse oximetry so that it becomes a go-to part of any assessment when there are concerns about wellbeing.

If the service you work within hasn’t yet adopted these assessment tools, then this is an urgent call to action for you to help lead this change. This is essential for delivering equitable, evidence-based care. We have known for too long that the health outcomes of newborns born to Black and Asian mothers are poorer than those born to white mothers. Addressing this is long overdue and you can make a difference now by implementing BAPM’s excellent and comprehensive Routine Pulse Oximetry framework. For more information you can join BAPM’s webinar on 9 December.

25 November, 2024

As midwives and MSWs, we spend our working lives supporting the women in our care. Not only that, but most of the people we work alongside are also women. Think about all those women – hundreds, probably thousands of them – that cross our paths. And now consider that the recent crime survey for England and Wales recorded 1.4 million female victims of domestic abuse crimes in the year ending March 2024, while in Scotland recording of incidents of domestic abuse in 2023-24 saw an increase of 3% to 63,867.

We are seeing an almost epidemic of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the UK, to the extent that the police chiefs have asked the Government to classify VAWG as an act of terrorism. While the statistics trending upward could be an effect of greater reporting, the fact is that women and girls are experiencing harm on a daily basis. Violence against women, particularly intimate partner violence has an impact on children too, who are likely to suffer behavioural or emotional disturbance and either becoming perpetrators or may experience violence themselves in later life.

Why are we talking about this now? Well, today (25 November) is the start of 16 Days of Activism, a global campaign to highlight the impact of VAWG, ending on UN Human Rights Day (10 December). This is an opportunity to promote the safety and rights of women and protect them from this pandemic of abuse and assault, from the misogyny and harassment, particularly faced by women in the public eye, through to the physical and sexual violence perpetrated not just by strangers, but more often by a man known to the victim.

As midwives, we support women at their most vulnerable, and we know that previous experience of abuse or violence may impact on how they engage with care – and the way in which we support them. During the 16 Days, the RCM will be providing resources and information on VAWG , including the i-learn module on domestic abuse with the overall aim of helping midwives identify and support women experiencing abuse and violence. Pregnancy presents a heightened risk of abuse for women. Midwives have unique insights into the lives of women and are well-placed to identify, support, and refer women as appropriate to services. The midwife’s action does not stop with listening and supporting victims, or documenting the abuse, but encouraging women to report the abuse with expert support is crucial. We need to be mindful that not all victims of domestic abuse want to report the abuse to the police. It takes seven attempts before victims have the courage to report abuse and violence against them. It is crucial that midwives document every interaction with victims and provide extra antenatal and postnatal support for them

Of course, midwives, MSWs and other maternity staff are not immune from domestic abuse. The RCM’s charity partner, Cavell, can provide support to members who have experienced, or continue to experience, abuse. This includes advice and financial grants to allow them to rebuild their lives when fleeing from abuse. There is no shame, there is no stigma. But there is a community ready, willing and able to support you.

Chairperson: Jennie Buckley

Secretary: Jennie Buckley

Treasurer: Lindsay Bennett

Activists:

Learning Rep: Rachel Cavill

MSW Advocate: Katie Bryant

Stewards: Keeley Gaunt

Jennie Buckley

Meeting minutes:

Northern Lincolnshire & Goole Branch AGM Meeting

The Royal College of Midwives

Hybrid – Thursday 23rd January 2025 10:00-11:30

Minutes

Apologies for absence

Katie Bryant, Terri Mason

Present

Jennie Buckley (JB), Nicola Pye (NP), Rachel Cavill (RC), Lindsay Bennett (LB), Jane Lundy (JL), Rose Oppong (RO), Karen Horne (KH), Keeley Gaunt (KG), Rae Trotter (RT).

Introduction and welcome to the meeting.

JB: Welcomed all to the meeting.

Discussed frequency of branch meeting, quarterly branch meeting for all with branch officers (BO) and branch activists (BA) meetings virtually when required.

KG EOI in steward role, previously been an activist.

RO Joined meeting.

JB: Gave explanation BO the roles of the and BA. Discussed the vacant roles currently Health & Safety Rep, Stewards.

RC: Asked RE facilities time.

RT: Explained this is usually negotiated with the organisation and can depend on the requirement of the role.

General discussion around union work being classed as study time.

RT: Confirmed that union work is not classed as study time.

LB: Union time can be recorded on e-roster.

JB: Discussed training available for activists for 2025, will forward these dates to all activists.

LB: Aware there I no annual treasurer training but can access virtual training as needed.

RC: Attended a different region training day and found it really useful to meet other activists from branches outside the region and share ideas.

JB: Enquired to RT if KG will need to redo the introductory steward training?

RT: Training was in 2019 and so if KG happy to do again she can.

KG, KH joined meeting.

KG: Happy to reattend the training.

Voting in of BO & Activists

Chairperson: Jennie Buckley (current) reappointed.

Secretary: Jennie Buckley (current) reappointed.

Treasurer: Lindsay Bennett (current) reappointed.

Learning Representative: Rachel Cavill (current) reappointed.

MSW Advocate: Katie Bryant (current) reappointed (consent given as absent).

Health and Safety representative: VACANT

Steward: Jennie Buckley (current) reappointed

Keeley Gaunt – Newly appointed

VACANT

Toni Newlove removed from steward role as no longer a member of the branch.

Branch Promotion and Member Recruitment Ideas

JB: Suggested having meetings off site.

LB: Suggested linking with a social event.

KG: Agrees that meeting out of work may help to encourage member engagement.

LB: Suggested a venue where food could be provided/purchased.

RT: explained other branches have done events such as quiz nights at local pub.

JL: Historically branch meetings were not highly attended as members feared they were going to be pressured into an activist or branch role. Suggested emphasis on meetings being about information sharing and socialising.

LB: Suggested changing the locations of the meetings each time to ensure it is fair for all members over a wide demographic.

Also suggested themes for activities and events in line with appropriate themes and celebrations for the time, e.g. baby loss awareness week, IDM, MH week, Black history month etc.

KG: Suggested speaking with facilities to use the lighting mainly at DPOW to support these themes.

JB: Demonstrated the PADLET created as a virtual notice board and hub for members to access. BO and BA’s will be added as admin to add to as they feel fit.

Treasurer Update

LB: Funds used this year for IDM celebration bottles and Buffett at each site, accommodation for RCM conference and travel expenses to RCM conference.

End of year balance: £4752.20.

End of year return to be submitted by end of January 2025.

Annual income to branch funds: £660, £200 per year per site, £1 per member.

JB and KB to become signatories for the branch funds. RT will feedback issue discussed prior to the meeting regarding documents required for this.

LB: Suggested using the funds or a learning event for members with guest speakers.

JB: Suggested discussing with RC as learning rep (no longer present at meeting).

RT: Reminded funds can also be used to fund travel and or accommodation to RCM conference.

AOB

RT: Pay review has been submitted and a response is expected in the near future. Members will be updated when they have news.

RCM have launched a new strategy: by your side through out your career. Info in on the website and this will be added to padlet by BO.

JB: Caring for you charter will be readdressed with DOM.

RT suggested looking into affiliation with university societies following a discussion whilst completing required paperwork after the meeting.

JB: closed meeting.

Date and time of next meeting

TBC- will be sent to members once confirmed.

keeley.gaunt@nhs.net

Stewards recruit, represent and support members in the workplace. They are advocates of the RCM and ensure that the members they represent are able to deliver high quality care to women. No two workplaces are the same, and the situations a steward can encounter will differ from those of stewards in other workplaces/trusts/board.

For more information call Research Midwfie 03033 305867

Or visit www.healthresearch.study/participate/snap2

Tel: 03033305867

Virtual Via teams https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YmI1MWI4NmItMjQzMC00MjI1LTk3OTgtNDliMTJkNjMwODcz%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2237c354b2-85b0-47f5-b222-07b48d774ee3%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22deb19dcd-110e-4f69-a041-32537cfa9ead%22%7d - Minimum of 6 members required to be quorum and enable voting to take place.

This meeting will vote in our branch officers:

Chair Person

Treasurer

Secretary

Our Activists will also be voted in:

Stewards

Learning Representative

Health & Safety Representative

MSW Advocate

We will also discuss the branch action plan for 2026

https://rcm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/menopause-and-the-equality-act-february-22-2024-activists-information_-1.pdf

https://rcm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/hydration.pptx

solution_series_4_making_maternity_sevices_safer_nurturing_a_positive_culture_.pdf

Midwives play a critical role in supporting women and families to make informed decisions about vaccination in pregnancy – but they need adequate time, training and resources to support this work, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) highlighted in a national webinar.

Speaking at a UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) webinar on maternal vaccinations, Clare Livingstone, Head of Professional Policy and Practice at the RCM, set out the unique and trusted position midwives hold in discussing vaccines with pregnant women.

Clare said: “We were pleased to be invited to speak at this webinar and to contribute to such important discussions about maternal vaccination. It’s vital that consistent, evidence-based messaging is shared across the system and that the role of midwives is clearly recognised and supported. Bringing partners together in this way is an important step in ensuring women receive the right information, at the right time, from professionals they trust.”

In her presentation, Clare emphasised that midwives are often the most trusted healthcare professionals for women during pregnancy and are therefore key to providing accurate, evidence-based information about vaccinations, supporting informed decision-making and respecting individual choices.

Clare also outlined the range of responsibilities midwives may have in relation to vaccinations, including discussing the benefits and safety of vaccines, administering vaccinations where appropriate or referring women to other services and ensuring consent and vaccination status are accurately documented.

However, she also acknowledged the significant challenges facing the maternity workforce. These include increasing public health responsibilities, workforce shortages, pressure on physical space within services and limited resources to implement new or expanding vaccination programmes.

“Midwives are committed to supporting public health goals, but this must be matched with realistic expectations,” Clare said. “Without sufficient workforce capacity, physical space and resources, it becomes increasingly difficult to deliver new programmes safely and consistently.”

The webinar formed part of UKHSA’s Communicating Vaccines series and brought together experts from across the maternity and public health system to explore maternal vaccination pathways, current uptake and strategies to improve access and confidence. Sessions included clinical updates on flu, pertussis and RSV vaccination in pregnancy, insights from recent pregnancy survey findings and examples of innovative practice.

The RCM continues to support midwives in this area through its education and professional development offer, including an iLearn module focused on vaccination in pregnancy.

“The role of the midwife in vaccination is about trust, communication and continuity of care,” Clare added. “To make a real difference to uptake and reduce inequalities, midwives must be properly supported to do this work well.”

• The webinar can be viewed online here

The latest findings from MBRRACE-UK reveal that between 2022 and 2024, 252 women died during pregnancy or within six weeks of the end of their pregnancy. The national maternal mortality rate is now significantly higher than in 2009–11, with direct maternal deaths increasing by more than 50%. 

The report highlights blood clots and cardiac disease as leading causes of death, while around a third of women died by suicide. Longstanding inequalities also persist, with Black women three times more likely to die than white women, and higher risks for women living in deprived areas. 

Responding to the data, the RCM said the findings are deeply distressing but sadly not unexpected, reflecting years of underinvestment in maternity services and a workforce stretched beyond safe capacity. 

The RCM warned that chronic staffing shortages are directly affecting the ability of maternity teams to provide safe, personalised care for women and babies every time. 

Clare Livingstone, Head of Professional Policy and Practice at the RCM, said: “This is an absolute tragedy for women, babies and the midwives and maternity support workers who care for them. Many are avoidable and the lack of progress over more than a decade is unacceptable. 

“Maternity services are stretched to capacity. Midwives are working under relentless pressure and that has a real and demonstrable impact on safety, continuity of care and outcomes for women. 

“Unacceptable inequalities continue to blight maternity care, with Black and Asian women and those living in the most deprived communities facing significantly higher risks. These disparities have been known about for years yet meaningful action has been far too slow. 

“There has been a failure to invest sufficiently in maternity services over many years. It is deeply concerning that £93 million of ringfenced funding intended for maternity improvement has been reprioritised away and could be spent elsewhere in the health system.” 

The RCM has reiterated its call for the Government to urgently prioritise maternity services, protect ringfenced funding, and work in partnership with staff to ensure every woman receives safe, equitable care. 

Clare added: “Midwives want to provide the safest possible care, but they cannot do so without the time, staffing and support women, babies and families deserve. Until maternity services are properly resourced and workforce shortages are addressed, we will continue to see preventable harm.” 

Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, has always been based on up-to-date nutrition science and is centred around everyday foods. Our members are encouraged to fill up on nutritious, low energy dense foods including rice, pasta, noodles, grains, poultry, fish, lean meats, plant-based proteins, eggs, beans, lentils, fruit and veg. The plan’s generosity and flexibility mean it’s an ideal way to support the nutrition of mums-to-be during this special time and help prevent excess weight gain during pregnancy.

As well as these low energy dense foods, we also encourage our members to enjoy measured, daily portions of foods containing essential nutrients to help ensure an overall balanced diet – these are called Healthy Extras. As part of our 2026 changes, a fresh focus on healthy fats has been incorporated with the creation of a new Healthy Extra category, including measured portions of nuts and nut butters, seeds, unsaturated oils and avocado. The introduction of the healthy fats choice is intended to put an even greater spotlight on the health benefits of these foods, it reflects current eating trends and aims to make it even easier for members to fit the plan into their real lives.

We’ve also made a name change to the part of our plan that helps members control those foods that are least satiating and high in energy density (such as crisps, chocolate, sauce with a meal). Previously called ‘Syns’ they’ll now be called ‘Swips’ (from Slimming World’s individual picks). This part of the plan is important because being able to enjoy your favourite foods without guilt makes it easier to stick to, so members can make lasting changes. We’d had some feedback that the word Syn suggested we wanted to make people feel ashamed about eating those higher calorie foods – which couldn’t be further from the truth. However, we recognise the power and impact of words, so while we’ve never wanted to make people feel guilty or judged, it was important that we listened and made a change.

Working closely with the RCM, we’ve also refreshed our policy for our pregnant members and how we work in collaboration with midwives. Previously, we’ve asked members to take a form to their midwives to let them know they are Slimming World members, and for the midwife to sign it.

Our intention was never meant for the form to act as “approval” from the member’s midwife, but to ensure the member was having a conversation with them about weight management in pregnancy. However, we know it’s created some uncertainty and midwives sometimes feel uncomfortable signing it. We’ve now streamlined the policy to make it clearer and easier for everyone – while keeping members’ wellbeing front and centre. In place of the form, midwives will now receive a letter (given to them by the member) which explains Slimming World’s support for members who are expecting a baby, along with how to contact Slimming World’s Nutrition team if they have any questions. Members will also get their own letter that explains our pregnancy support policy and encourages them to keep talking with their midwife throughout their pregnancy journey

Our policy around weight losses during pregnancy remains the same. If a pregnant member loses weight, this is discussed with the member to ensure that they’re enjoying a plentiful, varied diet without restricting themselves and not aiming to lose weight unless they’ve been advised to by their healthcare team. If the Slimming World Consultant supporting the member has any concerns or if weight losses continue, they will ask the member to talk to their midwife.

For more information on Slimming World’s approach and healthy eating plan, please visit: slimmingworld.co.uk/health

Visit Slimming World’s and the RCM’s website for advice and support before, during and after pregnancy: slimmingworld.co.uk/mums

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 Maternity Care Bundle takes a whole-system approach, recognising that many of the factors contributing to maternal death and serious illness sit beyond maternity services alone. It calls for coordinated action across maternity, emergency and ambulance services, mental health services, primary care and other medical specialties. 

Rachel Drain, Quality and Standards Advisor at the RCM, said: “We’re proud to have been involved in the development of the Maternity Care Bundle. Too many women still experience preventable harm during pregnancy, and during and after birth and variation in care remains a significant issue. Establishing clear, evidence-based standards across these key areas is an important step in improving safety and outcomes for mothers. 

“Crucially, this bundle recognises that maternity safety is not delivered by maternity services alone. It has been designed to support consistent, joined-up and equitable care, rather than acting as a checklist for individual clinicians. A coordinated whole-system approach, supported by a well-resourced workforce, is essential if this guidance is to translate into real improvements for women, babies and families, particularly those most at risk of poor outcomes.” 

The Maternal Care Bundle brings together five key areas of clinical care known to be associated with higher rates of maternal mortality and morbidity: 

• Venous thromboembolism 

• Pre-hospital and acute care 

• Epilepsy in pregnancy 

• Maternal mental health 

• Obstetric haemorrhage 

Together, the elements establish a baseline standard of care that NHS providers and commissioners are expected to implement consistently across England. In practice, this means maternity services, emergency care, mental health services, ambulance services and primary care are expected to work more closely together to recognise risk early, prevent conditions and respond effectively when women deteriorate. 

Clinicians are most likely to see the impact of the bundle through updated local guidelines and referral pathways, clearer escalation and communication processes across services and training, multidisciplinary learning and quality improvement activity. 

Overview

Reading Well is a national Books on Prescription programme developed by The Reading Agency which helps people understand and manage their health and wellbeing.

By attending the session you will:

• Learn more about the evidence behind reading and health

• Know more about how Reading Well:

• Can help the families you support

  • Can be accessed for free in your community

  • Books provide quality assured and evidence-based information

• Find out how you can use Reading Well in practice

Books are available for all the family and include topics:

• Maternal anxiety

• Birth trauma and postnatal depression

• Solo parenting

• Bereavement

• Miscarriage

• Autism and pregnancy

• Dad’s guide to pregnancy

• Mindfulness

The Reading Agency  is a UK charity that inspires social and personal change through the proven power of reading.

Speakers

Gemma Jolly is the head of Health and Wellbeing at The Reading Agency. She oversees the organisation’s reading and health work, including Reading Well. Prior to working at The Reading Agency, she led and delivered a range of health information and support services for national charities, including Alzheimer’s Society and The Migraine Trust. She is passionate about the importance of health literacy and advocates for the power of reading to help people manage their health and well-being.

The RCM is proud to work with Cavell to provide grants, advice and a listening ear to midwives and maternity support workers who are looking to take charge of their finances and feel more in control. So when health, relationships and bills are causing stress, Cavell is here to help.

Cavell looks after the RCM Benevolent Fund and helps midwives and maternity support workers, both working and retired, when they’re going through tough times. This is often due to illness, disability, older age, domestic abuse and the impact of the rise in living costs. As well as providing grants to RCM members, they can also help you check whether you’re entitled to benefits payments, provide you with support with debt and help you manage your money. You can find out more by visiting their website.

The financial support has been a crucial lifeline for many RCM members suffering a personal or financial crisis often due to illness or disability. It has provided midwives and MSWs the means to get out of abusive relationships and it has helped them back on their feet. It has even helped with emergency car repairs. No issue is too small that we can’t help you with.

Whether it’s you, or a colleague, just a little extra help at the right time can transform life. So, we encourage midwives and MSWs who are stressed and struggling because of money worries to get in touch.

Please note: This fund is NOT available to student midwives.

There remain vast disparities across the nations with the use of electronic health records, right now we continue to see a hybrid world. Somewhere between digital and written records, juggling between various aspects of maternity care. Significant advancements have been made and in 2024 we are much closer to the digital future that has been assured by NHS England, which aims that everyone will use electronic records by 2023/4. The RCM’s electronic records keeping guidance and audit tool was developed to support midwives and MSWs in adhering to best practices when using digital technology in clinical practice. 

Using digital technology has reaped benefits for midwives, their colleagues, and the women in their care. It continues to improve the sharing of information and reduced burden of duplication and errors.  Just as with more traditional forms of record keeping, maternity staff have a professional obligation to keep clear, accurate and timely records of the care given is paramount. Digital record keeping streamlines local and national data collection, supporting the delivery of safer care and improving women’s experience through pregnancy and beyond. 

The RCM’s key principles for record keeping, to use in combination with the NMC record keeping code and local record keeping guidelines, are:

• Midwives and MSWs must receive appropriate training for the electronic record system used in their organisation. Each midwife or MSW is responsible for ensuring this is maintained and updated as required when the system is updated or changed.

• Midwives should ensure they are up to date with their Information Governance (IG) training and are aware of how to use the electronic record to support IG.

• Midwives and MSWs should audit their own records regularly in keeping with local guidance and be aware of data which is collected from the electronic system to ensure they support this collection.

• Midwives should be familiar with local business continuity procedures in case of faults, cyber-attacks, or downtime.

When used correctly, social media offers many benefits for midwives, student midwives, and Maternity Support Workers (MSWs). However, it is essential that midwives and student midwives adhere to the NMC Code and follow the NMC guidance on using social media responsibly to avoid jeopardisng their registration. 

Student midwives must ensure their online conduct does not affect their ability to join the NMC register, while midwives must take care not to put their registration at risk. The NMC Code (paragraph 20.10) explicitly references the use of social media, reinforcing the responsibility to maintain professional standards online. 

Additionally, midwives and student midwives have a professional duty to escalate concerns regarding inappropriate use of social media to safeguard professionalism and uphold public trust. 

All midwives remember that magical moment when you receive your PIN – and the first time you walk into a ward and into a clinic as a newly qualified midwife. I still remember that moment so clearly!  It’s what we trained so hard for and represents commitment and hope. For many of us, becoming a midwife was a lifelong ambition. 

We know it’s not an easy role – in fact, it’s far more than a job. Midwifery is a vocation and we care for women at some of the most significant and emotional moments in their lives. We don’t come into this profession blind to the reality that there will be difficult, emotionally-charged days. When things go well it can be deeply rewarding but when things go wrong, the impact can be devastating. 

Too often, however, the pressure created by understaffing and underinvestment falls directly on your shoulders.  Maternity safety is frequently in the spotlight, yet midwives are made to feel responsible for failures that are clearly systemic. That’s not fair and it’s not right. It is time to be clear with Government and say: enough is enough. 

This week, the RCM is launching our Safe Staffing = Safe Care campaign. We’re calling on policymakers to take urgent action for women and babies – because without safe staffing, they and their families pay the price. And so do midwives and the wider maternity workforce. 

When a midwife is working an excessively long shift because there simply aren’t enough staff on the rota, when they haven’t had the chance to take a break, and then have to drive 45 minutes home exhausted – only to return the next day expected to be bright, refreshed and ready to care for women again – we have to ask: how is this acceptable in this day and age? How can tired and undervalued staff provide the safest possible care?

Women, families and maternity staff deserve safe, high-quality maternity services. Baroness Amos’s initial report exposed deep, systemic failings in maternity care that have caused avoidable harm to women and babies. Yet despite 748 recommendations made over the past decade, progress has been painfully slow. 

The Government knows the scale of the challenge. Launching further inquiries will not drive the improvement needed today. What’s missing is urgent, decisive action – backed by ring-fenced, sustainable funding. The RCM is ready to work with Government to deliver that change, starting now. 

As part of our Safe Staffing = Safe Care campaign, we have five clear asks for the Government: 

• Safe staffing: Deliver dedicated, multi-year funding through a national maternity and neonatal action plan to end chronic midwifery and maternity support worker understaffing, ensuring safe care in hospital and community settings. 

• A learning profession: Protect the future of maternity services by providing midwives and MSWs with 52 hours of protected, paid time to supervise students and complete essential continuing professional development, supporting safe, high-quality care. 

• Amplified midwives’ voices: Guarantee maternity services are led by professional expertise, with a Director of Midwifery mandated in every Trust and sufficient consultant midwives in post to lead safe, personalised care as a non-negotiable standard. 

• Improved health and prevention: Ensure all midwives and MSWs have protected, funded time to develop cultural competence, so everyone is equipped to deliver safe, equitable care to every mother and birthing person. 

• Our workplace, your birthplace: Prioritise poor maternity estates for urgent investment, with ring-fenced capital funding to clear fixable maintenance backlogs and create high-quality workplaces and birthplaces. 

Today (Tuesday 20 January), we are hosting a drop-in session at Westminster for MPs, with RCM members there to speak directly to policymakers about their lived experience. We’ll be honest and won’t be sugar-coating the reality. We don’t want women to be anxious about maternity services, they deserve safe care but we must speak up.  Our members will tell MPs exactly what it’s like on wards and in clinics, and the toll this is taking on their working lives. 

Putting the voices of midwives, MSWs and student midwives directly in front of Parliament is vital. We want MPs to listen, to understand and to take these concerns to the Secretary of State, urging him to act on these five issues without delay. 

We’re standing by the side of our members. Your voices and your experiences matter more to us than you’ll ever know. Please keep sharing them. We are listening, and we are doing everything we can within our means to drive real, lasting change. While much of that work happens behind the scenes, please be assured that the future of midwifery, and its impact on you and on the lives of women and babies, is at the heart of everything we do every single day. 

• We will be launching this campaign in Scotland and Wales in the coming months as part of the RCM Manifestos. 

A joint enterprise between the RCM, Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecology and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LHSTM) with the aim of reducing incidence of OASI.

https://www.rcog.org.uk/for-the-public/perineal-tears-and-episiotomies-in-childbirth/

The National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA) is a large scale audit of the NHS maternity services across England, Scotland and Wales. Using high quality data, the audit aims to evaluate a range of care processes and outcomes in order to identify good practice and areas for improvement in the care of women and babies.

The UK Midwifery Study System (UKMidSS) is national system for carrying out research in midwifery units.

Driving timely help seeking through the accessible design and delivery of postnatal resources: a co-production study.

Core leadership competencies

Authentic

Standing up for personal values and beliefs

Emotionally intelligent

With a sense of self value and independence, taking personal responsibility for their own direction

Visionary

The ability to inspire others to see the vision and to want to be part of it

Passionate

Demonstrating enthusiasm, energy and commitment, as well as sharing their passion

Self-effacing

Self-aware with the ability to blend humility with drive

Leadership development

The RCM believes that all midwives, students and MSWs are able to lead and be leaders within their area of work and expertise. Opportunities to develop their leadership skills, competence and expertise is a key priority within the NHS. At the RCM we offer a wide range of resources and courses to support you with your leadership development no matter what stage of your career you are at. We offer a range of resources and courses to support you.

The RCM Fellowship scheme recognises individuals who provide exceptional leadership and deliver excellence in practice, education or research. RCM midwife members can apply to be considered for a fellowship and if successful, applicants can use the fellowship status to display their support for the RCM.

Supporting students From the moment you start considering midwifery as a career, the RCM is here to support you. We can provide advice to help you make the best application to university, and, when you get there, we can help you get the best out of your studies. We also advocate on your behalf, from the quality of education to calling on politicians to forgive student debt. 

If you’re considering studying midwifery at university, why not become an affiliate member of the RCM? You’ll get access to our online learning platform and all our policy content, resources, webinars, student events and much more, helping you get ahead of the game.

And if you’re already at university and you haven’t done already, join us! There’s no other organisation that can offer you the range of services and support that the RCM can. You can join the RCM as a student member at any time – even before you start your programme, you can join as an affiliate member.

https://rcm.org.uk/join-us/

The SMF also actively support the relationships and affiliations between your midwifery societies and RCM Branches.  If you’d like to contact your SMF representative, you can find more about each of them, their role and contact details below for reps in your region:

Emma Lavill , University of Derby

I’m currently a student midwife enrolled on the BSc programme at the University of Derby and am a Registered Veterinary Nurse by background. I applied for a seat on the Student Midwife Forum because I’m incredibly passionate about championing and advocating for our future workforce – student midwives. Working with the RCM, I hope to be a voice for other students whilst raising awareness of the variety of challenges we face.

email: e.lavill2@unimail.derby.ac.uk 

Suhaila Yaqubi, University of Leicester

I am Suhaila first year student midwife, I wanted to join the Student Midwifery Forum to advocate for student midwives because we are not just learners—we are the future of maternity. By working together, we can shape a better tomorrow. We deserve an environment that empowers us to grow, bloom, and thrive, while also appreciating and building on the good already in place.

email: sy247@student.le.ac.uk.

Samantha Edwards, Bolton University  

Empowering women whilst fostering inner strength, and enhancing the learning journey for midwifery students in the North West. These are my passions as a Student Midwife at the University of Bolton and Council Member for NHS England. Thoroughly enjoying my professional placement at ROH part of NCA trust. 

email: se19hcs@bolton.ac.uk   

Khadijah Tanya Madden-Lawal, Sheffield Hallam University

As Maya Angelou wisely said, “We do the best we can with the information we have, and when we know better, we do better.” This powerful mantra is at the heart of everything I do. It is a true privilege to represent the students of the North of England at the RCM, and I am deeply committed to ensuring that our voices are heard and our potential is fully realized. Together, we can create a future where excellence is not just a goal but a constant pursuit. I am excited to be part of a journey where we continuously learn, grow, and strive to be the very best versions of ourselves.

email: Tanya.R.Madden@student.shu.ac.uk

This network has now launched and you can join it by filling in the form below!  

Contact us here for more information.

Join the network

You are now able to join the Network by filling in the form below. 

By joining the network, you will have access to additional resources, feature on the RCM map, and be able to participate in events such as RCM Instagram lives. You can also contact the network directly for information on your local branches or regional organisers who may be able to support or collaborate with you.

Email: midsocnetwork@rcm.org.uk

Society Grant

The RCM is keen to support Student Midwifery Societies, helping form strong collaborative links with local RCM Branches by affiliation. To encourage the growth and success of student midwifery societies, the RCM offers an annual grant of £250 payable to any Student Midwifery Society that can meet the required criteria.

Grant requirements

• Download and complete the application form pack, setting out in broad detail the purpose and use of the grant

• Send form to the RCM (midsocnetwork@rcm.org.uk) and we will assess your application and will seek any further information, if required.

• Funding is to be used for RCM-approved purposes only. The RCM has the right to seek the return of any monies it deems to have been misused

• Applicants must commit to sharing society activities and plans with local RCM Branches

• Failure to demonstrate and evaluate how the grant is used may disqualify societies from any future grants

What can be funded?

Please note, this is not an exhaustive list but should be used as a guide:

• learning events, study days and conferences

• subsidised attendance at RCM Annual Conference or other RCM midwifery conferences 

• producing materials that celebrate your midwifery society

• raising awareness about the contribution of midwifery in your community

• organising International Day of the Midwife events and initiatives

• running a joint event/initiative with your local RCM Branch

How will the funding be paid?

• If successful, notification will be given within two weeks via the contact details provided on the form. Payment will be made directly into the midwifery society bank account

• Complete and return an evaluation form within six months of the grant being awarded, showing how the funding has been used and how it has benefited the society. 

• If the funding is to be used for an event, RCM event evaluation form should be completed

Exclusively available to RCM members, our bespoke online learning platform has lots of great modules to support your studies, and there’s no better starting point than the student essentials module.

https://www.ilearn.rcm.org.uk/enrol/index.php?id=1253

A career in midwifery is incredibly rewarding, but we understand it can be tough while you’re studying. 

Financial support varies across the UK countries. Your university may also have its own guidance. For a broader overview, these links might be helpful

• England: The Funding Clinic

• Northern Ireland – Student Finance Northern Ireland

• Scotland – Student Awards Agency for Scotland

• Wales – Student Finance Wales

RCM members can now receive a year’s free subscription to the Clementine app. Access resources to help you sleep, improve confidence and reduce your stress and anxiety after a busy shift

https://rcm.clementineapp.com/

Early career midwife page

ilearn

Tips and tricks for CVs and interviews

Are you graduating in England this year?

If you are graduating in England this year, NHSE has announced new funding to help newly qualified midwives to obtain their first post: RCM welcomes ‘glimmers of hope’ for graduating midwives 

Please find resources from NHSE to help you find your first job here .

Learning and development

We have lots of resources available to support your continuous learning and development as a midwife in your early career. 

Our newly developed Preceptorship Guide will help you navigate and get the most out of your midwifery preceptorship.

Make sure you visit i-learn for our easily accessible online learning modules. There are over 150 RCM i-learn modules with more being developed all the time: from 10-minute tasters that can be taken in your coffee break to packages of courses, such as Examination of the Newborn. 

You can access more information about the RCM library here and be sure to check out MIDIRS too.

The RCM also offers a range of events, both face to face and virtual, to support you throughout your career and there are recordings of ECM specific webinars here.

Explore more of our resources, standards and guidance on our Professional Practice page and read more about professional and personal leadership development here. You are responsible for your revalidation with the NMC every three years. For more information on your responsibilities visit the NMC website here.

There are lots of opportunities for you to get involved with the RCM – from local to national level. Your voice as a midwife in your early career is incredibly valuable, so get involved:

Within your RCM branch: Join fellow newly qualified midwives and your other RCM colleagues by getting involved in your local RCM branch. Each workplace has its own RCM branch, which will be holding regular meetings, events and activities for you to be a part of – your local RCM activists will be waiting to hear from you in order to shape what the branch does over a given year. Lots of branches have been involved with supporting health and wellbeing in the workplace through the Caring for You campaign, take a look at the resources available here. Find out the contact details for activists in your local branch by logging into your membership portal. 

With team RCM: You can work or shadow members of the RCM staff team if there is a particular aspect of our work that you are interested in, or simply to get a better picture of what we do! RCM staff work to support midwives wherever they work – in clinical practice, as well as in education, and research settings – throughout their whole careers. We work with individual midwives, and also at local, national and international levels to advocate for our members. Contact RCM Connect if you’d like to find out more.

As an RCM activist: We are always looking to recruit more activists in the workplace and as a midwife early into their career, your fresh perspective could make the difference to the workplace environment. Take a look at some of the options for getting active in your workplace and the different roles available. RCM activists cover a number of important roles in the workplace and each role plays a significant part in creating an environment that is vibrant, growing and always improving the workplace, the culture and the future prospects and experience of RCM members. Representing and supporting members is a demanding role, but it is very satisfying, especially when you are able to win a fair deal for our members. The skills that you gain as an activist will assist you in your career and will also aid your personal and professional development. The RCM provides full training and support for activists to take on their role.

With the TUC Young Workers Forum: The Trades Union Congress has a Young Workers’ Forum that brings together representatives of young members from each affiliate union to co-ordinate relevant work and activity. Young workers are more likely to be in insecure work, low paid jobs and lacking progression opportunities – unions can help with all of this, but this means recruiting more young workers into their unions. You can find information and tools specific to young workers here. 

The RCM offers a range of resources for members that can support you in your education role. We work with a range of stakeholders to raise the profile of educators and the issues that matter to them.

Midwifery Educators - Royal College of Midwives