RCM Podcast

Re:Birth was a project led by the RCM with an aim to find a consensus on the language used by midwives, maternity support workers, and all maternity staff used to describe birth and labour. The year-long project listened to women's voices to really hear and learn more about how the language that was used during their maternity care impacted their experiences. While the project was led by the RCM it was truly collaborative and brought together not only midwives, but obstetricians, groups representing women and key maternity care stakeholders. In this episode, Gemma speaks to Dr. Mary Ross Davie and Dr. Juliet Rayment to learn more about how and why this came about. Maureen Treadwell from the Birth Trauma Association also shares her involvement in the project and the impact language can have on women's maternity experiences. Obstetrician Alex Heazell discusses how important the language he and his colleagues use is and his hopes for the outcomes of the project practically. The Re:Birth project also developed a tool kit to support all maternity staff and Consultant Midwife Dr Angela Kerrigan joins this episode to explain more about how midwives and MSWs can use the new conversation starter guide in their day-to-day practice. You can read the Re:Birth summary report here New maternity lexicon puts personalisation of care front and centre (rcm.org.uk)

Want to know more about what the RCM as a trade union is doing for you? Well, this is the episode for you! In our May episode, we hear from RCM’s newly appointed Executive Director Trade Union Suzanne Tyler about what her team is doing to improve workplace support for midwives and maternity support workers across the UK. Hear more about the RCM’s key priorities to improve member experiences. Plus more on the upcoming TUC rally on Saturday 18 June on how you and your RCM Branch can get planning to attend. Also, in this episode, RCM Activist and midwife Shani Woodbridge shares her experience of being a steward. If you have ever considered becoming an RCM Activist or if you just want to know more about how RCM Activists can support you in the workplace, don’t miss this frank and inspiring conversation. Emma Barr RCM’s Event’s Advisor also chats to Gemma for more on what happens behind the scenes at the RCM in planning member events. And with not one, but two Activist Conferences taking place this summer virtually and in-person Emma has all the details on why don’t want to miss these free events. TUC Rally (rcm.org.uk) Virtual Activist Conference 22 June  Activists conference Warwick Race Course September 

On 30 March the Ockenden Review into maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust was published – it was the biggest review into any UK maternity service in the history of the NHS. In this episode hear directly from midwife Donna Ockenden about her team's work, and the bravery of the families who fought to have this report published. Donna also shares her hopes for widespread safety improvements and thoughts on more investment in maternity staff to deliver safer care. Gemma also sits down with RCM’s Chief Executive Gill Walton to hear her reaction to the report and more about how RCM members are coping with understaffed services The reports Immediate and Essential Actions (IEAs) for services will impact all RCM members as the services they work in strive to implement them. While the IEAs are to be adopted by services in England, many other parts of the UK are examining them with a view to incorporating them into current work that’s underway to improve safety. RCM’s UK Director for Professional Midwifery Mary Ross-Davie also joins this episode to discuss each of the 15 IEAs and more on new guidance and tools the RCM has developed to support its members in improving safety and delivering high-quality maternity care. Read RCM's initial response to Ockenden review here Find more support and guidance in RCM's Safety Hub here

This month RCM published a Safer Staffing position statement calling out the Government’s poor record of investment in maternity services, which has undermined the efforts of midwives and maternity staff to deliver the safest and best possible care for women and their babies. Years of underfunding has affected the safety and quality of maternity services and report after report into failing maternity services cites understaffing as a major issue. England is short over 2,000 midwives and the situation is deteriorating with midwife numbers falling month on month, worsened further by the pandemic. Right across the UK services and RCM members are under immense pressure. In this episode, Sean O’ Sullivan RCM’s Head of Health and Social Policy joins Gemma to discuss why funding for maternity services is so desperately needed, workforce issues, and the upcoming Ockenden report. Gemma also chats to Catherine Cargill a former MSW and now a second-year student midwife, to hear her thoughts on the current situation as prepares to enter the profession and why she’s chosen to become a midwife and remains committed despite many reconsidering their roles in maternity services due to the immense pressures and stress. *Following the recording of this episode NHS England pledged £127 million worth of funding for maternity and neonatal services, some of which will go towards midwife staffing. The RCM has cautiously welcomed the announcement.*

If you want to learn more about what the RCM is doing to support its members when it comes to improving pay and pensions this is the episode for you. Gemma is joined by Lynne Galvin one of the RCM’s leads on pensions who offers great insight into the upcoming changes happening to the NHS pension scheme from April which will affect RCM members. Lynne also shares some great advice on what members need to do to ensure a smooth transition for those impacted by changes. In part 2 of this episode, Gemma catches up with Alice Sorby RCM’s Director for Employment Relations for all the latest on the RCM’s Deliver a Decent Deal pay campaign, hear more about the campaigning work the RCM has been doing to improve pay for all its members across the UK. Alice also shares more on the RCM’s recent activity for the 2022/23 pay round and details of the RCM’s submission to the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB), in addition to the RCM’s involvement in the joint pay campaign #WithNHSStaff.

In the first episode of RCM's second podcast series, Gemma Murphy catches up with Digital Midwives from around the UK. Anne Watkins from Wales, Misbah Mahmood from Leeds, and Moira Mooney from Scotland share their experiences of working as Digital Midwives and the challenges of balancing the role with their clinical work. The RCM's Digital Midwife Advisor Victoria Komolafe joins the conversation with more on what the RCM has planned to support members with the shift to Digital in 2022. Gemma also talks to the NHS National lead Digital Midwife for Maternity Jules Gudgeon about NHS plans for more formal training for those interested in becoming a digital midwife and why there is such variation in bands and what is being done to change that.

As the UK's only dedicated trade union for midwives and maternity support workers in the UK  lobbing and influencing is central to what the RCM does day in day out. If you’ve ever wondered about the lobbying and influencing work that happens behind scenes at the RCM this is the episode for you and an opportunity to hear more about what the RCM is doing for you as a member at national and local level. In this episode, Gemma meets Stuart Bonar RCM’s Public Affairs to hear more about the RCM as a political influencer and how the RCM gets MP's to listen and advocate for RCM members. Maternity support worker, Keelie Barrett, shares her experiences and recent workplace wins as an RCM Health & Safety rep, Keelie also discusses her role as an RCM Board member. Gemma is also joined by Sean O’ Sullivan RCM’s Head of Health and Social Policy who talks about the RCM’s One Voice collaboration, how influential the RCM’s policy work has been, and how working together is key to securing stronger influence and wins for RCM members.

In this episode, Gemma catches up with the RCM’s CEO Gill Walton to hear more about what the RCM is currently doing for its members and all the key work that’s happening. Gemma is also joined by Rosemary Idiaghe a Consultant Midwife for midwife-led care who discusses her career to date and her upcoming session on improving outcomes for Black, Asian and minority ethic women at the RCM’s Conference. Helen Rogers RCM’s Director for Wales and one of the 2021 RCM conference curators speaks to Gemma about the upcoming conference programme highlights that are not to be missed. The RCM’s Activist conference took place this week and Gemma meets midwife and RCM Activist Zoe Meneilly from Northern Ireland who has some great advice about the role and tips on how to reinvigorate your local branch. Also, Grace Thomas Reader in Midwifery and the Lead Midwife for Education at Cardiff University discusses the important role midwifery educators play in preparing student midwives for the realities of practice. Grace who was recently awarded an RCM Fellowship also provides us with sneak preview of what we can expect from her ‘Together we can grow tomorrow’s leaders’ session at conference.

It’s a challenging time for maternity services and in our latest episode Gemma Murphy explores the current issues facing RCM members. Midwife staffing shortages, NHS pay and pregnancy during COVID-19. Hear from the RCM’s Employment Relations Advisor Alice Sorby on all things pay and find out what’s happening with the 3% pay award due to members in England and Wales. Suzzanne Tyler RCM’s Executive Director for Services to Members talks about pressures on services, staffing shortages, and why the RCM believes midwifery continuity of carer is so difficult to deliver in the current climate given there aren’t enough midwives. COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has rarely been out of the news lately and Birte Harlev-lam RCM’s Executive Director Midwife speaks to Gemma about the latest RCM guidance and what tools the RCM has developed to support its members in speaking to women about the vaccine. Gemma and Birte also discuss about how the RCM and it’s Chief Executive were targeted by online trolls and abused for giving evidence-based advice about vaccination during pregnancy.

Student midwives are our future midwives, but what’s it like being a student midwife in 2021? In our new episode Gemma Murphy talks to three student midwives from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland who are all at different stages of their midwifery training. How has it been on clinical placement and studying during the pandemic?  What inspired them to become a midwife? What have been the biggest challenges? What’s it like to start a profession in law change to train as a midwife? How hard is it to juggle childcare while on clinical placement? and what advice do these student midwives have for anyone considering becoming a midwife.

In this episode Gemma meets midwives from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds who bravely share their personal stories of how racism has impacted their midwifery careers, they speak of the challenges they’ve faced and how they have positively tackled and overcame racist behaviours in the workplace. Some of these midwives experienced racism from their colleagues others sadly from the pregnant women they were caring for and their stories need to be heard. Midwife Lola Onato also talks to Gemma about returning to her University to support diversity in student recruitment. Gemma also speaks with Kathy Murphy Director of Midwifery at St Mary’s in Manchester and two midwives from her team who together with more midwifery colleagues have created a new book ‘With Women – A collection of Stories from Black and Asian Midwives’ aimed at increasing diversity in the midwifery workforce by sharing their personal journeys on how and why they became midwives. This episode also includes an interview with the two women behind the grassroots campaign FIVEXMORE who continue to lobby and campaign to improve maternal and pregnancy outcomes for Black women. Gemma interviews co-founders Clo and Tunike to learn more about their maternity experiences as Black women, what drives them on, the training they have rolled out for all midwives and their plans for the future of the campaign For anyone wanting to hear and learn more about why Race Matters more than ever in maternity services this is a must listen episode!

In this episode on safety and quality in maternity services, Gemma Murphy speaks to RCM’s Head of Safety and Quality Zeenath Uddin about the challenges facing all midwives when it comes to safety. Zeenath also talks about learning from reports, such as Each Baby Counts that have repeatedly flagged similar safety concerns and what the RCM is doing to support its members in practice. Gemma also meets RCM member Suzanne Cunningham who is currently Director of Midwifery at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation trust and she shares her decades of experience and some practical advice on practices that improve safety. RCM’s newly appointed Director For Professional Midwifery, Mary Ross Davie also joins the podcast to discuss the RCM’s new Solution Series which has been developed to support midwifery leaders and midwives to implement recommendations laid out in the Ockenden Review to improve the quality of care they are delivering for women and their babies. The RCM supports and champions safe high-quality safe across all work that midwives and maternity staff do and say ‘safety in maternity services must be everyone’s business.  https://www.rcm.org.uk/media-releases/2021/march/time-lessons-are-learned-and-mistakes-not-repeated-says-rcm-as-its-launches-new-safety-series/

Maternity Support Workers (MSWs) and Maternity Care Assistants (MCA's) are vital members of the maternity team. They provide support not only to midwives, but to women and their families which is often specialist support such as parenting classes ahead of a baby being born, or specialist breastfeeding support. In this episode, Gemma dives right into their world to learn more about what they do day to day and what drives them to do it. Catching up with RCM members from Greater Manchester, Scotland, and Norfolk who all have unique and inspiring stories to tell, this episode is not to be missed. 

In the bonus episode Gemma Murphy catches up with the RCM’s Country Directors from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland where we also hear from a community midwife about the challenges she overcame in Northern Ireland. Plus, a very special message from RCM CEO and General Secretary Gill Walton to all RCM members.

This latest episode focuses on the past year and comes a year to the day since the UK went into full lockdown, March 23, 2020. A year like no other for midwives, maternity support workers and maternity services. Birth is not something that can be rescheduled and happens 24 hours a day 365 days a year and midwives have been there delivering care to women and their babies, putting themselves at risk to ensure the safe delivery of new life into the world, but how have they coped? What have been the biggest challenges? And what has the RCM done to support its members during the pandemic? Gemma will also talk to RCM’s CEO Gill Walton to hear her reflections on the past year and what work is currently happening at the RCM. This third instalment in the new podcast series also features midwives who share their stories and experiences of the past year.

This second episode focuses on the RCM's Caring For You Campaign. Originally launched in 2016 this RCM initiative is aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of midwives and maternity support workers. Given the current pressures of COVID-19 maternity services across the UK have never been more stretched. Staffing shortages, heavier workloads and longer shifts means stress and burnout is all too common amongst RCM members.  In this episode Gemma Murphy catches up with Gill Adgie RCM's Regional Head for the North of England who leads on the RCM's Caring for You campaign work. Gemma also interviews Jayne Frank and Maryanne Bray two midwives from Cardiff Vale University Health Board who have been instrumental in pushing the campaign forward within their own branch and Health Board. In this episode they share lots of ideas and tips on how they've embedded the campaign in their workplace and how that has supported and improved the health and wellbeing of their colleagues. If you are looking to launch a Caring For You initiative in your workplace, become a Health and Safety Rep or just revamp your current activities this episode is for you!   

During this first episode Gemma talks to midwives Vlora Purchase from Greenwich and Lewisham NHS Trust and safeguarding midwife Wendy Warrington from Pennine Care NHS Foundation to gain some more insight into the important work they do.  Gemma also catches up with RCM staff who developed a new RCM position statement on supporting women with severe and multiple disadvantage during pregnancy.  

Following the release of the RCM’s brand new roadmap to better perinatal mental health, we are joined by maternity staff who specialise in supporting women and families impacted, while looking at what investment and improvements are needed from the Government.

In a very special episode of the RCM podcast, we are joined by the Chief Midwifery Officers of all four nations to talk about their midwifery journeys and their aspirations for midwifery and maternity care.

This month, midwives and student midwives from across the globe travelled to Bali for the International Confederation of Midwives’ 33rd Triennial Congress. With all the pressures faced by maternity services here in the UK, it’s understandable that many of us focus on what’s directly in front of us. In this podcast episode we are broadening our horizons to take a look at how international midwifery influences our practice here and how we too can influence midwifery across the globe.