By Sean O'Sullivan, Head of Health and Social Policy, RCM on 08 August 2022
It is now over four months since the Ockenden report into maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust was published. On the day of its publication, Sajid Javid, the then Health Secretary, accepted the report on behalf of ...
By Clare Livingstone, Professional Policy Advisor RCM on 02 August 2022
It's World Breastfeeding Week 2022 – Step Up For Breastfeeding. From 1 August, we will focus on inequalities and food security and how the cost of living crisis is biting at the finances of households across the UK. Poverty is on the increase ...
By Fiona Gibb, Head of Education RCM on 31 July 2022
31 July 2022 marks the 120 anniversary of the 1902 Midwives Act. The Act has been credited as the first formal recognition and development of professional midwifery. Of course, midwifery is one of the world’s oldest professions long practised ...
By Alice Sorby, Director Employment Relations on 26 July 2022
Trade unions are rarely out of the news at the moment. Across the public and private sector union members are saying they have had enough. Had enough of being worse off, working harder and longer and paying for a cost of living crisis that they did ...
By Alice Sorby, Director Employment Relations on 08 July 2022
It is disappointing but not surprising that the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has decided that now is the time to withdraw its COVID-19 workforce guidance in England. This will see a return to normal contractual arrangements.
By Kate Jones Equalities and Research Officer on 06 July 2022
On Saturday 2 July the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) walked in London’s biggest ever Pride march and the first one out of lockdown. RCM’s Equalities and Research Officer Kate Jones shares the importance of celebrating LGBT+ members and service ...
By Stuart Bonar, Public Affairs Advisor on 01 July 2022
This week saw the publication of alarming new NHS workforce figures for England showing the drop in midwife numbers is not only continuing but accelerating, with the North of England worst affected.
The latest numbers, for April this year, ...
By infant feeding midwife Breda Murphy on 28 June 2022
For National Breastfeeding Week, infant feeding midwife Breda Murphy shares a day in the life story of being a midwife and supporting women when it comes to breastfeeding – striking a balance of providing evidence-based information and respecting ...
By Clare Livingstone, Professional Policy Advisor on 27 June 2022
The RCM is celebrating National Breastfeeding Week. I would like to start by thanking all the midwives and MSWs for the wonderful support they have continued to provide during the pandemic, finding innovative ways to reach out to mothers, resolve ...
By Lynn Collins, Director of Field Services on 24 June 2022
As the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) strikes continue to capture media and public attention, Google searches for ‘join a union’ rises 184% and public sector workers put the pressure on for a new deal, there is an ...