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Birmingham Women’s maternity service invests in staff to invest in better care

By RCM on 02 May 2017 Caring For You Charter Caring For You campaign

Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is working with the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) to enhance the support available for midwives and maternity colleagues. The Trust’s maternity service 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.

Launched in June last year the campaign is aiming to get NHS organisations across the UK to sign up to the Caring for You Charter. Over half of all NHS trusts and boards in the UK have now signed-up to the Charter.

Trixie McAree, Head of Midwifery at Birmingham Women’s Hospital, part of Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said:  We are 100% committed to staff wellbeing and are delighted to be working with the Royal College of Midwives to ensure staff and ultimately our women and families get the best possible care.”

Julia Ellis, the Royal College of Midwives Regional Officer, said: “I am delighted that the Trust has signed the Charter. They have a committed team of midwives and maternity support workers, led by an enthusiastic head of midwifery committed to the welfare of her staff. This is a very positive move 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.

For a picture of the Charter signing contact the RCM Press Office on 020 7312 3456, or email pressofficer@rcm.org.uk or the Communications team at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust on 0121 333 8511 or email bwc.communicationsdepartment@nhs.net.

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Notes to editors

Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (BWC) incorporates Birmingham Women’s Hospital and Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Together they bring the very best in paediatric and women’s care in the region and are proud to have many UK and world-leading surgeons, doctors, nurses, midwives and other allied healthcare professionals on our team.

Birmingham Women’s Hospital is a centre of excellence, providing a range of specialist health care services to over 50,000 women and their families every year from Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond. As well as delivering over 8,200 babies a year, it offers a full range of gynaecological, maternity and neonatal care, as well as a comprehensive genetics service, which serves men and women. Its fertility centre is one of the best in the country, while the fetal medicine centre receives regional and national referrals. The hospital is also an international centre for education, research and development with a research budget of over £3 million per year. In April 2016, it was announced as the national miscarriage research centre – the first of its kind in the UK - in partnership with Tommy’s baby charity.

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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