‘New Chief Executive and General Secretary for Royal College of Midwives’
By RCM on 04 September 2017 RCM RCM CEO Midwives MSWs - Maternity Support Workers
Gill Walton from today (Monday September 4th) takes the reins as leader of the UK’s only professional association and trade union for midwives, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).
One of the countries leading midwives, Gill was appointed as the next Chief Executive and General Secretary of the RCM in May and from today she officially takes up her post at the RCM’s headquarters in London.
Gill will succeed Professor Cathy Warwick who has led the RCM since 2008 and has now retired from her role.
Up until recently Gill held the post of Director of Midwifery and Maternity services at Portsmouth Hospitals and is a passionate midwife, experienced midwifery leader and manager.
She started nursing at University College Hospital and then undertook her Midwifery training at the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton. Previously she has held Director of Midwifery posts at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading; Barking Havering and Redbridge; John Radcliffe in Oxford
Gill has also been at the forefront of many transformation programmes for maternity services as well as several national maternity related projects.
Gill has been involved in national policy and strategy development, including work with the RCM, NMC and Department of Health and actively supports improvement and development in other maternity services.
Commenting on her first day as Chief Executive at the RCM, Gill Walton said; “I’m delighted and very much looking forward to my new role as Chief Executive and General Secretary at the RCM. The RCM is an organisation I have been a member of for many years, I have tremendous respect and admiration for all it does not only as a trade union for midwives and maternity support workers, but also as one the most respected voices of midwifery across the UK and beyond.
“I wish Cathy Warwick a wonderful retirement and thank her for her incredible leadership, invaluable work and all she has done at the RCM for our members and for women and their families.
“I begin my tenure at the RCM at an interesting time, a time of great change and challenge for our maternity services and with challenge brings opportunity to really make a difference. I’m also really looking forward to working with and supporting all our members across all four UK countries to help strengthen a positive future for midwives and maternity support workers.”
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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/.