Changes and developments

Congratulations
In November the RCM hosted a table at the Scottish Health Awards. RCM chief executive Cathy Warwick joined in congratulating the team from Forth Valley’s neonatal unit for their award.

Taking the lead
The Scottish Government, NHS Education Scotland and the RCM held a one-day leadership event in Glasgow. Midwives came from each of the health boards and worked in teams. The teams were presented with a case study and were asked to address four different challenges. It is hoped that this is seen as a taster for future leadership development and succession planning.

It’s for you
The Scottish government have set up a maternity telehealth programme to look at the governance issues around telephone calls to maternity units from women in labour and how this information can be recorded. The programme board have had their first meeting and a consultant midwife post has been established to take this forward. This is a job-share post between Sheona Brown and Dorothy Findlay, who were consultant midwives under the Keeping Childbirth Natural and Dynamic workstream.

New beginnings
It has been an exciting time for maternity services in Scotland as we have seen the opening of several new facilities.

The Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh had their new birthing unit opened by deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon. There are birthing pools in every room and settees that convert into double beds. Service users had significant input into the unit’s design.


On the move
Forth Park Maternity Hospital in Kirkcaldy closed its doors for the last time and moved to their new unit on 
the Victoria Hospital site.

Forth Valley moved to their new unit in the new district general hospital at Larbert.