NHS Forth Valley is working with the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) to enhance the support available for midwives and maternity colleagues.

The board’s maternity services have signed the RCM’s Caring for You Charter, which aims to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of maternity staff. This supports and enables them to continue providing the highest levels of maternity care for women and their families.

Launched in June last year the campaign is aiming to get NHS organisations across the UK to sign up to the Caring for You Charter. Over half of all NHS trusts and health boards across the UK have now signed up to the Charter.

Gillian Morton, General Manager Women and Children’s Services at NHS Forth Valley, said: “We are proud of our midwives and signing up to this Charter is not only a mark of respect for their professionalism but an example of how we want to care for their wellbeing. Looking after our staff at work and improving their health and safety is vitally important in our aim to continuously deliver high quality care for our patients.”

Emma Currer, the Royal College of Midwives National Officer in Scotland, said: “I am delighted that the board has signed the Charter. They have a committed team of midwives and maternity support workers, led by an enthusiastic head of midwifery committed to the welfare of her staff. This is a very positive move and I welcome their commitment to staff and the people they care for.”

When signing the charter, organisations are committing to five key principles:

• Work in partnership with the RCM Health and Safety Representative to develop and implement an action plan about health, safety and wellbeing issues that are important to the maternity workforce and maternity service users.
• Ensure that midwives and maternity support workers have access to a variety of shift patterns and flexible working and promote a positive workplace culture around working time including taking breaks.
• Foster a positive working environment for all by signing up to the RCM/RCOG statement of commitment calling for zero tolerance policy on undermining and bullying behaviours.
• Enable midwives and maternity support workers to access occupational health and other organisational policies for their mental and physical health, safety and wellbeing.
• Nurture a compassionate and supportive workplace that cares for midwives and maternity support workers so that they can care for women and their families.

For a picture of the Charter signing contact the RCM Press Office on 020 7312 3456, or email pressofficer@rcm.org.uk.

For more information on the Caring for You campaign visit: https://www.rcm.org.uk/caring-for-you-campaign