Trust invests in maternity services to provide even better care
On Friday 2 June South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust’s (SWFT) maternity services signed-up to the Royal College of Midwives’ (RCM) Caring for You Charter. The charter aims to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of the Trust’s maternity staff.
The Trust is working with the RCM to improve the support available for midwives and maternity colleagues. This enables the organisation to continue to provide the highest levels of maternity care for women and their families.
Head of Midwifery, Melanie Crockett signed the Caring for You Charter on the behalf of the Trust. The Charter includes 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.
Melanie Crockett said: “The Trust is fully dedicated to ensuring the principles of the Caring for You Charter are adhered to. We understand that maintaining and supporting an open workplace benefits both staff and service users.
“We pride ourselves on our high quality compassionate care, and signing up to the Charter will be an investment in our staff and enable them to deliver safe, effective care for women and families.”
Lesley Wood, the Royal College of Midwives Officer, said: “I am delighted that the trust 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.”
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. Half of all NHS trusts and boards in the UK have now signed-up to the Charter.
For more information on the Caring for You campaign visit: https://www.rcm.org.uk/caring-for-you-campaign
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