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Southern Trust maternity services sign up to RCM staff wellbeing Charter

By RCM on 19 April 2017 Caring For You Charter

Maternity services at the Southern Health and Social Care Trust have become the latest in Northern Ireland to commit to the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Caring for You campaign.

The trust has signed the RCM’s Caring for You Charter which aims to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of maternity staff. This supports and enables them to continue providing the highest levels of maternity care for women and their families.

Organisations commit to the Caring For You campaign by signing a Charter and when signing they commit to five key values;

  •          Work in partnership with the RCM Health and Safety Representative to develop and implement an action plan about health, safety and wellbeing issues that are important to the maternity workforce and maternity service users.
  •          Ensure that midwives and maternity support workers have access to a variety of shift patterns and flexible working and promote a positive workplace culture around working time including taking breaks.
  •          Foster a positive working environment for all by signing up to the RCM/RCOG statement of commitment calling for zero tolerance policy on undermining and bullying behaviours.
  •          Enable midwives and maternity support workers to access occupational health and other organisational policies for their mental and physical health, safety and wellbeing.
  •          Nurture a compassionate and supportive workplace that cares for midwives and maternity support workers so that they can care for women and their families.

Welcoming the RCM Caring for You Charter for the Southern Trust, Head of Midwifery and Gynaecology Services Patricia McStay said: “We have a fantastic midwifery team across both hospital and community services, delivering high quality care with compassion to mothers and babies from the antenatal period, during delivery, right through the postnatal weeks.  In the Southern Trust we are committed to supporting our staff to do the best possible job they can, so are delighted to  sign up to the Caring for You campaign which can only have a positive impact on the women and families we look after.”

Anne Wilson, the RCM’s National Officer for Northern Ireland said; “I am delighted that the trust’s maternity services have signed up to the Charter. They have a great team of midwives and maternity support workers 

who work really hard to deliver the best care to women and their babies. This is a very positive move and I welcome the head of midwifery and management commitment to staff and the people they care for.”

To contact the RCM Press Office call 020 7312 3456, or email pressofficer@rcm.org.uk.

Ends

Notes to editors

The RCM is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences and online resources. For more information visit the RCM website at https://www.rcm.org.uk/.

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