RCM calls for more support for staff to deliver maternity safety improvements in Wales

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has called for more support from the Welsh Government to enable staff to deliver maternity safety improvements.

The trade union says everything from safe staffing levels to prioritising time for multidisciplinary training and improving organisational and working cultures must be addressed, for the improvements that are needed to be achieved.

The call for support follows the publication a new Quality Statement on Maternity and Neonatal Care, which was published by the Welsh Government in March, alongside a perinatal engagement framework.

The RCM welcomed but warned they need to be backed by appropriate workforce planning and investment.

‘Realistic’

The RCM’s Director for Wales, Julie Richards, said: “The maternity and neonatal care and perinatal engagement framework both sets how NHS Wales will improve maternity services. They include a vison of what ‘good’ maternity services look like, which is positive. However, we need to be realistic.

“Neither can be achieved without proper workforce planning and both frameworks are dependent on investing in staff. It’s never been more crucial that we have the right levels of staff, in the right places, at the right time with the right education and training.

“This is particularly important because our members are seeing an increase in more complex pregnancies with women presenting to maternity services with underlying health conditions such as higher BMI and more social complexities than ever before. These women need specialist midwife support to maintain a safe pregnancy and ensure the best outcome for both them and their babies.”

The RCM has also highlighted the need for an increased focus on learning and sharing good practice.

Under new plans individual Health Boards are expected to listen to and act upon the ideas of pregnant women which the RCM supports. However, the RCM would also like to see the feedback from midwives and maternity support workers included in this and transparency in reporting, with Health Boards having to make these reports publicly available.

Nurturing

The RCM also says nurturing workplace cultures, compassionate leadership and strong multidisciplinary teamworking enables the delivery of high-quality maternity care.

The College says when staff feel supported and well rested the level of care they can provide positively increases.

Ms Richards added: “Sharing successes and good practice between Health Boards will undoubtedly support the maternity safety improvement drive in Wales. It’s also vital that those managing services, are really listening to staff, listening to their concerns, and acting upon them.

“Many of our members tell us that they feel stuck in a system that does not support them to deliver the best care they know they can. NHS employers need to provide a working environment that promotes the delivery of high-quality safe care. Equally everyone working in our maternity services has a responsibility to create an environment where issues and concerns can be raised without fear or favour.

“At the RCM we are supporting our members to stand up for higher standards, because ultimately if we work together, to nurture positive working cultures we can make maternity services safer.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Midwives have an invaluable role to play in driving service improvements across Wales, with all health boards staffed to a national recognised standard.

“Health Education and Improvement Wales will soon publish a multidisciplinary perinatal workforce plan that will include detail on training, recruiting, and retaining healthcare professionals, ensuring an inclusive workforce culture.  This will help NHS Wales to have the right perinatal workforce in place, now and for the future.”