Here for the Midwifery family

By John Orchard, Chief Executive at Cavell Nurses’ Trust

It’s International Day of the Midwife and I would usually be lucky enough to attend the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Awards today, but alas the current pandemic means it’s been cancelled, like so many other important gatherings.

So instead I’m reflecting on the incredible work our midwives and midwifery support workers (MSWs) undertake every day of the year, being there for us at such an emotional and wondrous time in our lives.

To help bring a life safely into the world doesn’t seem like a job to me. It’s a vocation that transcends the usual nine-to-five routine and mundanities that dominate so many of our lives. Midwifery teams up and down the UK turn up at work each day and help to totally transform the lives of the people they care for. What an incredible thing to do!

The RCM Awards is the greatest opportunity in the year to say a huge ‘well done’ to teams and individuals who are exceptional and who are making a huge difference. So this week, the RCM will be making sure that every one of those winners receives the attention and accolades they deserve by focussing on them through social media channels and local press.

Cavell Nurses’ Trust is proud to support midwives and MSWs when they are facing a personal or financial crisis in their lives. The pandemic is proving to be a huge challenge for everyone including midwifery staff and that’s why we’ve set aside funding to deal specifically with its impact. This support is over and above what we’re providing to other nursing and midwifery professionals who are living with cancer, fleeing domestic abuse or suffering with poor mental health.

We want to help as much as our funding allows and must remember that, though the nursing and midwifery family are rising to the challenge of the coming days and weeks, the effects of the pandemic will be felt by our nurses, midwives, midwifery support workers and healthcare assistants for months to come.

So I’d like to reach out and say that if you or any of your midwifery colleagues are struggling, please find out more about the support Cavell Nurses’ Trust can give and get in touch.

You can find out more here