Are women getting continuity of carer in maternity services? - RCM publishes continuity monitoring and evaluation tool

on 09 November 2018 Midwifery Continuity of Carer - MCOC

A tool to help maternity services measure the level of continuity of carer being provided for women has been published today by the Royal College of Midwives. Measuring Continuity of Carer: A monitoring and evaluation framework – has been funded by NHS England and was written by Professor Jane Sandall from King’s College London.

Midwifery Continuity of carer (MCoC) means the woman is seeing the same midwife or group of midwives during her pregnancy for her labour and birth, and after her birth.

The aim of the tool is to support trusts to easily understand if they are meeting the aim for most women to receive Midwifery continuity of carer  as set out in Better Births, the national maternity review for England. The first stage of meeting that ambition is that from March 2019 20% of women should be booked onto a continuity of carer pathway throughout their pregnancy.*

The tool also aims to support trusts to see which models of care are providing the benefits associated with Midwifery continuity of carer. There is now strong evidence that women cared in MCoC model are less likely to experience interventions such as epidurals, episiotomies and instrumental births. Women receiving continuity of carer are also less likely to experience preterm birth and are also at a lower risk of losing their babies.**

The tool - Measuring Continuity of Carer: A monitoring and evaluation framework - can be seen on the RCM website at .

To contact the RCM Media Office call 020 7312 3456, or email [email protected].

Note to editors

* See the NHS Planning Guidance at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/refreshing-nhs-plans-for-2018-19/.

**Cochrane Review – Midwife-led continuity models of care compared with other models of care for women during pregnancy, birth and early parenting – published April 2016

Read the RCM Continuity of Care Position Statement

Read the RCM guidance on ‘The contribution of continuity of midwifery care to high quality maternity care’ 

 

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/.

 

 

ENDS