RCM expresses concern at supply of personal protection equipment for midwives
By RCM expresses concern at supply of personal protection equipment for midwives on 19 March 2020 Midwives RCM Government NHS Wales NHS Staff NHS England Northern Ireland NHS Scotland Safety
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has called on the Government to ensure that midwives and maternity support workers receive appropriate personal protective equipment to ensure they remain safe and well so they can continue to care for people.
Commenting, Gill Walton CEO of the RCM said:
“There are midwives, maternity support workers and thousands of other NHS health care professionals working right now without adequate supplies of personal protective equipment. Our members in different parts of the UK have been contacting us with their concerns. Midwives across the country are caring for pregnant women with suspected COVID-19 symptoms without adequate resources to protect themselves. There are community midwives attending home births and postnatal visits without enough hand sanitising gel and other basics such as masks. We know these are unprecedented circumstances, but the Government has a duty to keep our vital healthcare workers safe and well.”
The RCM is also calling on the Government for a programme of regular testing for midwives and other NHS healthcare workers to be rolled out without delay.
Gill added:
“If the NHS is to cope with the daily rising challenges of this pandemic, we need to ensure that healthcare workers, including our members, are kept well for as long as possible – and if they are unwell, that they are taken out of the workforce to prevent further infection. Our members want clarity, which is why we are pushing all the relevant NHS and government bodies to get the right information out in a timely way.”
The RCM is also working hard to clarify guidance for pregnant healthcare workers. There is a great deal of anxiety among midwives and maternity support workers, who are pregnant and are committed to supporting the women in their care, but are also worried about their own situation.
ENDS
To contact the RCM Media Office call 020 7312 3456, or email media@rcm.org.uk, Pictures will be available following the visit.
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/.