Co-creating the RCM Maternity Voices Network

We are currently working together to co-produce the RCM Maternity Voices Network. This will provide an opportunity to improve the experiences and outcomes for all involved in maternity services by bringing together service users, midwives, maternity support workers and student midwives to support and influence the RCM in all areas of its work to further align the needs of our members and those of the women and families they work with across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

• We will tell you about the Royal College of Midwives and what we do.

• You'll hear presentations from National Maternity Voices, NHSE, RCOG Women’s Network and the UCL Coproduction Collective sharing examples about other maternity voice networks and about co-production more generally.

• We invite you to present a ‘Quick Fire Idea’ … These will be 3 minute slots where anyone can share an idea about how the RCM Maternity Voices Network could work, ideas for projects, or ways people could be involved. (limited slots available bookable in advance)

• We will work in small break-out rooms to begin co-creating a vision for the RCM Maternity Voices network. We will explore how it will look, the structure/members/communication; what it will do, ideas for activities we could be involved in; Quick Fire Ideas, a chance to discuss the ideas presented.

“Whilst we have lots of ideas for how to get started, we don’t want to dictate how we will do this. I’m keen that we co-produce the network. Initially this means involving everybody in designing how it’s going to look, feel and work. We welcome any ideas or thoughts about how we can make this happen.” Emily Ahmed, Service User Chair, RCM Maternity Voices Network.