Frimley Health maternity services invest in staff to invest in better care
By RCM on 01 September 2017 Caring For You Charter
Frimley Health 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 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 last year the campaign is aiming to get NHS organisations across the UK to sign up to the Caring for You Charter. Almost three-quarters of all NHS trusts and boards in the UK have signed the Charter.
Emma Luhr, head of midwifery at Frimley Health said: “The signing of this charter demonstrates the maternity service at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust’s commitment to investing in its midwifery and support workforce. Working in collaboration with the Royal College of Midwives is an excellent opportunity to support and enable the team of staff to deliver safe, high quality care for all women.”
Georgina Castle and Maria Thomsen, RCM stewards for the Frimley and Wexham branches, said: “We are delighted that the trust has signed the RCM Caring for You charter as a sign of support for the maternity work force at Frimley Health in providing excellent maternity care for all mothers and babies. Our midwives and maternity care assistants constantly go the second third and fourth mile to ensure our mothers feel secure and cared for. This Charter confirms the Trust's commitment to provide that same care and commitment to its maternity staff.”
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.
To contact the RCM Press Office on 020 7312 3456, or email pressofficer@rcm.org.uk. To contact Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust email communications@fhft.nhs.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. 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.
About Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust provides NHS hospital services for people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and South Buckinghamshire.
Services are delivered from three main hospital sites at Frimley Park, near Camberley, Heatherwood at Ascot, and Wexham Park, Slough, along with a number of satellite centres. As well as delivering excellent district general hospital services to its population the trust has specialist heart attack, vascular, stroke, spinal, cystic fibrosis and plastic surgery services across a wide catchment.
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