Our work

• Representing the RCN at external events and meetings such as All Party Parliamentary Meetings, national strategic meetings, and the International Confederation of Midwives annual meetings and European meetings.
• Contributing to national and global consultations including NICE consultations on guideline development.
• Contributing to RCN publications.
• Attending and participating in RCN Congress.

Read our Midwifery Forum Charter 2024

• We are about to complete a joint forum project with Women's Health, Mental Health and Justice and Forensics Forum on raising awareness around Women’s Mental Health and Trauma Informed Care.
• We are embarking on a new project go develop guidelines for nurses, midwives, registered nursing associate to best support women who have experienced early pregnancy loss.
• We are working jointly with the Fertility Nursing Forum, and Women’s Health Forum on a position statement around supporting women with reproductive heath needs, in the workplace. 
• We are working on a position statement on Nurses and registered nursing associates in Maternity Care Position Statement.
• We are also updating our Multiple Births Midwife Standard.
• We will be reviewing our Clinical Pages including Pregnancy and Disability.
• We are also representing RCN at the next International Confederation of Midwives European meeting this year, where tow committee members will be attending board meetings and presentation Poster Presentations. 
• We continue to represent RCN midwifery at range of national activities, including Maternal Mental Health Alliance, (see report below).

Seminars

Maternal Medicine and Midwives (2024) Catherine Barlow, the Lead Midwife for Maternal Medicine at Cambridge University Hospital joins us to discuss her experiences within the field and working with midwives providing many services including pre-pregnancy, antenatal and postnatal care for women who have either pre-existing significant medical problems or medical problems arising in or shortly after pregnancy.

Forum activity in 2023

Read the Midwifery Forum Member Representation - Biannual Report - Sept 2023

• Project Completion and Evaluation Form ICM June 2023

Resources

• RCN Position Statement on Nursing Associates (NAs) Training in Cervical Screening (England only) (2024). This position statement recognises that nursing associates (NAs) carry out cervical screening, in line with national standards. Service and education providers should be confident that appropriate and relevant training and supervision is in place.
• Advanced Level Nursing Practice and Care of Pregnant and Postnatal Women (2024). This updated guidance provides principles of good practice to clarify the role of nurses working in advanced nursing practice roles when providing care for pregnant and postnatal women.
• Transitions from Fertility to Maternity Care (2022). This guidance is primarily to raise awareness of possible pathways of care for women and others (their partners/support networks) as they travel through fertility treatment and pregnancy, and how they can best be supported by the health care professionals they encounter along their journey. 
• Pregnancy and disability. In 2021 we developed a series of clinical web pages to support easy access to resources around pregnancy and disability.
• Multiple birth midwife standards. In 2021 we published a nationally recognised set of standards to support best practice in multiple births care throughout pregnancy and childbirth. 
• Bladder and Bowel Care in Childbirth. Bladder and bowel care during childbirth is a critical part of maternity care, as the consequences can have short and long-term consequences for the woman and her family. This guidance provides information about bladder and bowel care throughout pregnancy, labour and into the postnatal period. 
• Banner and poster. To develop a nationally recognised poster and banners for use by the RCN Midwifery Forum to showcase midwifery at the RCN.
• Managing the Disposal of Pregnancy Remains. This updated publication is intended to provide clear guidance for all health care professionals to have in place sound systems and processes to ensure the safe and appropriate disposal of pregnancy remains, where the pregnancy has ended before the 24th week of gestation. This includes following an ectopic pregnancy, early intrauterine fetal death, miscarriage, or a medically or surgically induced termination of pregnancy. 
• Nurses in maternity care. 
  Nurses in maternity care: RCN report
  Maternity workforce survey report
  Nursing in maternity care: literature review. 

The RCN and its forums are invited to participate in many cross working and multidisciplinary workstreams, including working closely with key stakeholders such as: 

• Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA). A charity and coalition of 100 organisations working together with experts by experience and clinicians to achieve our shared vision and improve the lives of women and families in the UK affected by perinatal mental illness.

Discover how implementing a Women's Health Policy for the nursing and wider health and social care workforce can make a significant impact on employee wellbeing, as well as on your organisation. With the Royal College of Nursing launching their position statement on supporting women’s reproductive health at work, this is the perfect time to think about drafting or refreshing yours.