Royal recognition for NHS Lanarkshire as The Princess Royal visits maternity unit at Wishaw
By RCM on 04 May 2018 Midwives RCM Scotland NHS Lanarkshire MSWs - Maternity Support Workers Scotland
Midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) at University Hospital Wishaw (NHS Lanarkshire) this week received royal recognition for their work as Her Royal Highness (HRH) The Princess Royal visited their award winning maternity service.
The HRH The Princess Royal who is patron of the RCM met with midwives, MSWs, Neonatal midwives and other members of staff from NHS Lanarkshire on Monday (April 30th) during a royal visit.
Her Royal Highness was welcomed on arrival by RCM President, Kathryn Gutteridge, RCM’s Director for Scotland Dr. Mary Ross Davie, RCM’s Chief Executive Gill Walton and Lyn Clyde Director for Midwifery at University Hospital Wishaw.
During the visits HRH The Princess Royal met midwives at the Wishaw’s Early Pregnancy Unit and also viewed their state of the art birthing rooms and training rooms used by student midwives.
In March this year NHS Lanarkshire was named ‘Midwifery Service of the Year’ at the RCM’s Annual Midwifery Awards 2018.
The Maternity team at Wishaw care for women across north and south Lanarkshire and deliver 4,500 babies every year, maternity care is also delivered to approximately another 2,500 women that live within Lanarkshire but choose to deliver in other units nearer to their homes.
Ten midwifery teams provide personalised community care for women with two outlying satellite units offering day care and scanning facilities. Furthermore additional support is offered by specialist midwives in areas such as substance misuse, perinatal and bereavement care.
During her visit The Princess Royal also formally opened the new alongside midwifery unit (AMLU) which will offer a low risk birthing option for women and their families.
Commenting RCM’s Director for Scotland, Dr.Mary Ross Davie said; “NHS Lanarkshire is an excellent example of a maternity service that has been consistently seeking to improve the service it delivers and they have an engaged, enthusiastic and empowered team of midwives supporting the wider-multi disciplinary team.
“NHS Lanarkshire were also one of five Heath Boards chosen in Scotland to take forward early implementation of the Best Start recommendations, including the implementation of continuity of carer and the development of a system of local delivery of maternity care.
“The positive working culture has undoubtedly been part of the success of Wishaw’s maternity services over the past number of year and the implementation of changes and improvements has resulted in high quality care for women and their babies.”
Neena Mahal, Chair of NHS Lanarkshire, said: “We were delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to formally open the alongside midwifery unit which gives mums a further choice for place of birth in line with the national Best Start recommendations.
“Our maternity and neonatal service has been a leading light in the Scottish Patient Safety Programme's Maternity and Child Quality Improvement Collaborative programme. I would like to thank all the maternity and neonatal staff for their sustained effort in providing the highest standard of care to the women and babies.
“I would also like to thank the Royal College of Midwives for their continued support and recognition of the exemplary work of our maternity and neonatal team over the years.”
To contact the RCM Media Relations Team call 020 7312 3456 or email media@rcm.org.uk.
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The RCM is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences and online resources. For more information visit the RCM website at https://www.rcm.org.uk/