RCM virtual courses and events get off to flying start

on 01 March 2021

Supporting members through the pandemic has been the focus of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) over the past year. These efforts are continuing with the start of virtual training for RCM representatives which kicked off with a stewards’ introductory course last month.

“I enjoyed meeting other RCM activists, all be it virtually, from across the UK,” said Kate Humphries, an RCM Worcester Branch Steward, adding “The course was interesting, informative and well organised.”

Virtual courses and events will be coming thick and fast over the coming months across all four UK nations. These include activist induction sessions, branch officer events, and training for health and safety reps, along with the upcoming virtual education and research conferences.

“The RCM has an incredible team of representatives and activists in Trusts and Boards across the UK working for our members on the ground at the frontline of care,” said Suzanne Tyler, Executive Director for Services to Members at the RCM. “We need to make sure that they in turn are supported to represent you. With in-person training events firmly off the cards for the time being, we are taking our representatives training online. It’s the same high-quality RCM training that we have been delivering before, but now utilising the technology and the power of the video communications boom we have seen developing during the pandemic,” she said.

Virtual training allows more flexibility for many reps and activists, without the need for travel or overnight stays. The RCM is looking at how virtual events will be delivered in the months and years to come, complementing our face-to-face training.

“Technology has opened up many possibilities making it easier for our reps to attend training without having to travel, and for members to attend events that may have been difficult for them before,” said Suzanne Tyler. “We do intend to return to in-person training as soon as the situation allows, but we’ll be looking at how we deliver the same high quality courses our reps and members expect, with perhaps a mixture of in-person and virtual courses.”

All the RCM’s upcoming courses and events can be seen and booked through the events section of the RCM website at https://www.rcm.org.uk/rcm-events/.