RCM Library and Archive Collection
The RCM has a prestigious collection of books, journals, archives and artefacts relating to the current practice and history of midwifery. RCM members will be able to access the full RCM collection at the reading rooms of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 27 Sussex Place, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RG.
The combined collections bring together material from the broad spread of women’s health providing an unparalleled resource for research and education.
RCM Resources
Below you will find RCM and RCM accrediated resources which are available for you to view and download.
Female Genital Mutilation: Report of a survey on midwives’ views and knowledge
The aim of this study was to elicit the views and opinions of practising midwife members of the RCM on a range of issues relating to Female Genital Mutilation, including their understanding of the law, the practice, knowledge of the communities they work with and their response to FGM, with the purpose of identifying educational, training and support needs relevant to the prevention of FGM and care of women with FGM.
Fathers Guide: Top tips for involving fathers in Maternity Care
The RCM alongside the Fatherhood Institute, The RCOG and the DOH have produced the following publications which are intended to provide useful insight to all maternity service staff as to how they might best encourage the involvement of fathers throughout pregnancy and childbirth, and into fatherhood and family life.
It is envisaged that this document will increase awareness of the importance of fathers being engaged in maternity care as well as assisting local maternity services in the development of their own local practices and guidelines.
Fathers Guide : Reaching out involving fathers in Maternity Care
The RCM alongside the Fatherhood Institute, The RCOG and the DOH have produced the following publications which are intended to provide useful insight to all maternity service staff as to how they might best encourage the involvement of fathers throughout pregnancy and childbirth, and into fatherhood and family life.
It is envisaged that this document will increase awareness of the importance of fathers being engaged in maternity care as well as assisting local maternity services in the development of their own local practices and guidelines in a handy tip format.
The survey was initiated as a strand of work within the RCM Campaign for Normal Birth (CNB) activities, in the context of continued debate about the safety and availability of home birth services.
Objectives of the survey include:
Including -
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The experiences of the educational programme
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Student midwives’ experience of the RCM
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Professional networking behaviour
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Key messages and recommendations
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Experiences of student midwives during their midwifery education programme
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Student midwives’ experience of the RCM and their networking behaviour
Research and Development Action Plan 2011
The RCM recognises that research and development forms a critical part of the relationship between education, practice, policy and commissioning associated with evidence based midwifery.
Building on the internal research work of the RCM, this strategy is specifically designed to foster research relevant to midwifery, maternity care, mothers, babies and families. By partnering with expert research members, practitioners and the wider national and international midwifery and research communities, the RCM aims, through the introduction of this strategy to support the capacity and capability of midwives to conduct and implement research. As an outward facing plan, the strategy represents a series of goals that aim to further the RCM’s contribution to the midwifery and maternity service research agenda.
A ‘snapshot’ of contemporary practice to gain a national picture of the positions being used in labour and birth, and highlight areas for improvement and promote normal birth best practice and to gather data to provide individual services with specific feedback on their performance in encouraging women to labour and birth ‘off the bed’.
It is known that certain techniques and practices can impact positively or adversely on women’s experience of labour (RCM 2008)1 and that interventions should not be offered while labour is progressing normally. However, in an environment of constant change within maternity care and service delivery, the RCM recognised there was a lack of contemporary information on the activities that midwives undertook. In order to develop new material or address practice issues that could have optimum impact, RCM actioned this audit to explore midwives activities in antenatal, intranatal and postnatal care.
A systematic review, meta-analysis, meta-synthesis and economic analysis of midwife-led models of care.
Work to date by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) indicates that investing in midwives and midwife-led care is central to delivering high quality maternity care. The purpose of this study is to provide a robust assessment of evidence for the clinical and socioeconomic effectiveness of midwife-led models of care. This will provide evidence of the quality and safety of midwife-led models of care and inform maternity care policy.
`The Sands Audit Tool for maternity services: Caring for parents whose baby has died' has been developed to help those responsible for commissioning and providing maternity services to assess the quality of care they provide to bereaved parents, and identify any improvements that are needed.
Accredited by the Royal College of Midwives, the Audit Tool is based on standards set out by Sands in its widely acclaimed ‘Guidelines for professionals’ (2007) and by a range of professional organisations including the Royal College of Obstetricians, the Royal College of Pathologists, NICE and the Human Tissue Authority.
Guide jointly developed by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), the Royal College of Nursing (RCN),Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
