Midwifery Continuity of Carer (MCoC)

The RCM promotes and supports MCOC as the central model of maternity care across the UK and the enablement of women to have real choice about place of birth

The provision of care by a known midwife throughout the pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal period can be associated with improved health outcomes for the mother and baby, and also greater satisfaction levels.

“It would require imaginative management and a reorganisation of resources to provide this style of care, but will save money in terms of more normal births and less damaged mothers and babies.” (quoted by midwife in King’s Fund, 2008).

Download the report: Relationships: the pathway to safe, high-quality maternity care.

What role does RCM play? 

Support:

• The RCM will continue to support our members during the transition in implementing the key recommendations of Best Start & Better Births. This is likely to mean a significant shift in working environments and normal place of work for a large number of midwives, as well as organisational change
• This will include supporting managers to positively lead change and supporting members where they have challenges in adapting the way they work
• Support will include monitoring working practices to ensure that midwives and maternity support workers have positive, safe working environments that protect their wellbeing

Influence:

• The RCM will continue to influence at national, strategic and local levels to ensure that the implementation of Best Start & Better Births is appropriately funded, adequately staffed and positively supported to be successful
• The RCM will work locally to influence working practices to ensure that all midwives and maternity support workers have appropriate pay and working conditions

Essential videos on the continuity of carer

Lesley Page, former RCM President, talks about the importance of continuity of care and the relationship between midwives and women:

Jude Jones, Rachel Rees and Kim Tebay give their take on continuity, based on their experience as part of the Royton and Shaw Team:

Resources available

• MCoC What if...? Series
• Measuring Continuity of Carer: Monitoring and evaluation framework  
• Can continuity work for us?
• Position Statement: Midwifery Continuity of Carer
• The Contribution of Continuity to High Quality Maternity Care
• Continuity Models: The ‘Nuts and Bolts’ Scotland - employment rights and regulations guide relating to continuity (RCM, 2018)
• Continuity models: The 'Nuts and Bolts' - England and Wales - employment rights and regulations guide relating to continuity (RCM, 2018)
• Midwifery Continuity of Carer - an introduction - i-learn module published April 2018
• The Continuity Counts Game - this game will familiarise midwives with the caseload size and routine workload of continuity models, taking into consideration existing national policies and evidence of Midwifery Continuity of Carer (MCoC). The game is being distributed through RCM regional officers and organisers

• NHS Staff Council Principles for inclusive pay arrangements when setting up MCOC teams: