‘Women, babies and families at the heart of RCM’s Zepherina Veitch Memorial Lecture’
By RCM on 17 May 2017 Zepherina Veitch Memorial Lecture RCM President Midwives Women RCM Member Midwifery
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) annual Zepherina Veitch Memorial Lecture will this year be delivered by RCM’s President, Professor Lesley Page CBE.
The lecture which takes place in Oxford on June 6th will be the prestigious platform that Professor Page will also bid farewell to her role as RCM President.
Entitled; Midwives and our future: How can midwives be leaders and agents of change for a better future? Professor Page will consider what individual woman, and babies and families need from maternity services and the distinct and crucial contribution midwives play in meeting these needs.
The lecture will discuss recent UK maternity policy and the emerging science relating to maternal health, the physiological and psychological basis of relationships and wellbeing and the longer term health of women and babies. She will argue that these present midwifery with challenges but importantly opportunities to create the best start in life for women and their families.
Personalised care was high on the recommendations in the recently published; Better Births National Maternity Review for England, so it is fitting that this lecture encompasses the crucial need for midwives to place women and their families at the centre of their maternity care.
Zepherina Veitch was the original founder of modern professional midwifery saw the effects of poverty and inequalities on the health and well being of women and children and understood the important part that a well regulated midwifery profession played in alleviating the impact of these.
This event will also see the investiture of the newly elected RCM President and the presentation of the RCM Fellowships. This event is open to all RCM members from across the UK.
Commenting RCM’s outgoing President, Professor Lesley Page said; “I feel incredibly privileged to be able to deliver this lecture before handing over the reins to my successor.
“As midwives me must support the personal choices made by women and that means placing them at the centre of their own care and supporting them to make the best choices for them, their babies and families when it comes to their maternity care.
“In this lecture I have considered the profound impact midwives have on our future and the future health demands that will be placed on our National Health Service.
“If as midwives we ensure all the care we provide is focused on the needs of each individual woman we have the potential to maximise are value as profession whilst continuing to ensure we deliver safe and high level quality care.
“The effects of midwifery care, of the practice of individual midwives, will reverberate down generations and into communities and society. Much of our ability as midwives to have a positive impact on the future, to ensure the best start for each and every woman and her baby and family, no matter where they live and what their circumstances, will depend on the future of our profession.”
The RCM’s Zepherina Veitch Memorial Lecture takes place on June 6th.
Location: St Catherine’s College in Oxford.
Time: 2pm – 5pm
More information on the The Zepherina Veitch Memorial lecture 2017 is available here: https://www.rcm.org.uk/get-involved/events/the-rcm-zepherina-veitch-memorial-lecture-2017
RCM members, midwives, maternity support workers and student midwives can book their place to this event here: Book your place now
For journalists wishing to attend this event is free and you can book your place at this not to be missed lecture by emailing Press.Officer@rcm.org.uk
To contact the RCM Press Office call 020 7312 3456 or email pressofficer@rcm.org.uk.
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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/.