Equality and Diversity

The RCM is fully committed to Equality and Diversity in the workplace

Equality and Diversity is important for providing high-quality care for women and their families. To be able to provide a truly inclusive service and an NHS which treats all service users with respect, dignity and compassion, the NHS workforce needs to be treated in the same way.

Equality is about creating a fairer society where everybody has the opportunity to achieve their potential. Diversity is about recognising and valuing difference in its broadest sense. Inclusion is about an individual’s experience within the workplace, and in wider society, and the extent to which they feel valued and included.

The RCM has produced a range of RCM Equality and Diversity publications for our Workplace Representatives and for members, and each publication carries the crystal mark award for plain English.

If you have any questions, please contact us via info@rcm.org.uk.

Explore the publications in the Equality and Diversity series

This publication gives RCM members more information about standing for election to the board. We want our board to be inclusive and wish like to see nominations from black and minority ethnic (BME) midwives, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) midwives, and younger midwives. Diversity on the board is critical to our success, as this helps to provide a more inclusive environment for our members.

This publication details the results of five years of freedom of information requests the RCM has made to NHS trusts in London about the numbers of BME midwives involved in disciplinary proceedings and their outcomes.

This is a useful guide for all RCM Workplace Representatives and Heads of Midwifery.

This publication explores the nine protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010; different types of discrimination; the public sector equality duty; equality and diversity in the NHS; equality impact assessments; what Workplace Reps can do; as well as some common myths and facts about equality and diversity.

The menopause is an occupational health issue that is growing in importance. This is particularly the case in midwifery given that at any one time over a third of the the maternity unit could be experiencing symptoms of the menopause and suffering in silence.

This publication looks at the symptoms of the menopause, the age profile of midwives, the effects of the menopause on work and what employers and workplace representatives can do to help.

This publication highlights the significance of pregnancy discrimination and explores how this can affect victims' health and their pregnancy, and how RCM members can help provide support.

The NHS is facing more pressure now than ever before and this looks set to continue. According to the 2014 NHS Staff Survey, 69% of midwives said they had come into work in the last three months despite not feeling well enough to carry out their duties.

The strong relationship between staff wellbeing and clinical outcomes is well known. This guidance provides information for Heads of Midwifery and Workplace Representatives on how they can help to improve health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Useful links

As part of our affiliation to the TUC and our ongoing commitment to equality and diversity, the RCM attends the TUC Women’s Conference and the TUC Black Workers’ Conference. Visit our TUC page to read briefings about the conferences.

If you have any questions about the TUC Women’s Conference and/or the TUC Black Workers’ Conference, please contact alice.sorby@rcm.org.uk.