Following the release of the RCM’s brand new roadmap to better perinatal mental health, we are joined by maternity staff who specialise in supporting women and families impacted, while looking at what investment and improvements are needed from the Government.

In a very special episode of the RCM podcast, we are joined by the Chief Midwifery Officers of all four nations to talk about their midwifery journeys and their aspirations for midwifery and maternity care.

This month, midwives and student midwives from across the globe travelled to Bali for the International Confederation of Midwives’ 33rd Triennial Congress. With all the pressures faced by maternity services here in the UK, it’s understandable that many of us focus on what’s directly in front of us. In this podcast episode we are broadening our horizons to take a look at how international midwifery influences our practice here and how we too can influence midwifery across the globe.

Stepping out of the scrubs and into the sequins. In this episode we speak with this year’s RCM Award winners and hear first hand about the incredible projects and partnerships that have improved care for women and families and colleagues too – the work that made them today’s shining stars in the service. We open with the special address from this year’s host, Baroness Floella Benjamin, commending you on your work – work that is full of heart and soul and adventure.  

Every day is a school day – it’s a phrase that could be written for working in and around maternity. We are continuously learning, from the colleagues around us and the women in our care to the education and training that is part and parcel of midwifery and maternity support. In this month’s episode, we look at education through different lenses and hear from students, midwives and midwifery educators about their experiences.

We often hear the phrase you can't pour from an empty cup but how often do we really apply that to ourselves? All too often we feel guilty about looking after ourselves and when we do put ourselves on our to do list it is often last on the list. In this episode we're going to be looking at self-care and suggesting that looking after ourselves is the best way of looking after others. Hear from inspirational women and RCM members across the UK on how self-care has helped their health and wellbeing.

The RCM podcast is back! In the newest episode of our podcast series, we speak with members on how they became more involved in activism and in the RCM, what inspired them to get more engaged, what was happening at the time and what it has taught them both professionally and personally.

Wondering what the recent pay award announcement means in real terms for you? Why the RCM has launched a consultation with all midwives and MSWs working in the NHS in England and Wales? If so, this is the episode for you!  Gemma is joined by RCM's Director of Employment Relations Alice Sorby to hear more on how RCM members can have their say on pay and decide if they wish to be balloted on industrial action. This episode includes updates for members not only in England and Wales but in Scotland and Northern Ireland too. Plus Lynn Collins RCM's new Director for Field Services joins this episode to discuss how the RCM is rebooting Activism this summer. How you can become a pay Activist and more on plans to ensure every member's voice is heard. England and Wales - NHS pay award and next steps (rcm.org.uk) Become a pay activist (rcm.org.uk) RCM Annual Conference

If you haven't managed to listen to all the episodes from the RCM's 2021 podcast series this is the episode for you. Hear some great highlights including stories from midwives and maternity support workers from across this year and a special Christmas message from RCM’s Chief Executive Gill Walton to RCM members.

In this episode, Gemma meets a selection of this year's RCM Award winners. Hear them tell their inspirational personal and professional stories and how their work and programmes have made a difference to women and their maternity colleagues. The winner of the NMC's Excellence in Perinatal Mental Health Award from North Middlesex University Hospital Trust, Fiona Laird shares how she and Melissa Jhagroo set up an award-winning service to support women from a diverse range of backgrounds with their mental health during and after pregnancy. Also, two midwives from Northampton who won the RCM's Race Matters Award Fatima Ghaouch and Sam Sibanda discuss how they have provided additional support to Black, Asian and minority ethnic women during the pandemic and successfully changed pregnancy outcomes. They've also worked hard to tackle racial inequalities in their workplace and share their own personal experiences of racism. Gemma also meets the RCM's Waterwipes Maternity Support Worker of Year award winner Candice Noonan from Oxford who's specialises in bereavement support at John Radcliffe Hospital.