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UCLH maternity services invest in staff to ensure better patient care

By RCM on 04 January 2017 Caring For You campaign

UCLH (University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) is working with the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) to improve the support available for midwives and maternity colleagues.

UCLH’s maternity services have 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.

Launched in June, the campaign is aiming to get NHS organisations across the UK to sign up to the Caring for You Charter.

UCLH head of midwifery Natilla Henry said: “This is a commendable campaign by the RCM, which aligns with our values and objectives and underlines our commitment to continue the work we are already doing to ensure our staff feel valued, supported and listened to. We strongly believe that happy staff lead to excellent care and better outcomes for women and their families.”

RCM Regional Officer for London, Liz Cummings, said: “I am delighted that the Trust has signed the Charter. They have a committed team of midwives and maternity support workers at the Trust, led by an enthusiastic head of midwifery committed to the welfare of her staff. This is a very positive move by the Trust and I welcome their commitment to staff and the people they care for.”

When signing the charter, organisations are committing to five key principles:

  • 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.

Ends

Notes to editors

For a picture of the Charter signing, contact the RCM Press Office on 020 7312 3456, or email pressofficer@rcm.org.uk.

About University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

UCLH (University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) provides first-class acute and specialist services in five hospitals in North Central London. UCLH is committed to education and research and forms part of UCLPartners which in March 2009 was officially designated as one of the UK's first academic health science centres by the Department of Health. UCLH works closely with UCL, translating research into treatments for patients. Please see our website www.uclh.nhs.uk for more information, we are also on Facebook (UCLHNHS), Twitter (@uclh), Youtube (UCLHvideo) and instagram (@uclh).

About the RCM

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

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