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RCM welcomes new guidance on PPE for NHS staff

By RCM welcomes new guidance on PPE for NHS staff on 02 April 2020 Midwives RCM Maternity Services NHS Staff Midwifery NHS NHS Wales NHS England Public Health England PHE - Public Health England RCM Northern Ireland

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has today welcomed the publication of new UK-wide guidance about the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by NHS staff who are likely to come into contact with people infected by the coronavirus.

The guidance has been produced in consultation with health bodies, including the RCM, and includes specific advice on the use of PPE by staff working in maternity services. The guidance covers different settings, including the use of PPE for home visits by midwives, antenatal clinics and in maternity units during labour.

The RCM has published supplementary advice for those working in maternity services, to be read alongside the Government’s guidance.

Responding to the publication of the official guidance, the RCM’s Executive Director for Professional Leadership Birte Harlev-Lam said:

“It is absolutely vital that everyone working on the NHS frontline, including midwives and MSWs, are properly protected. That is why having these new guidelines is so welcome.

“Now that we have them, we must make sure that maternity staff get all the right equipment, particularly those supporting women in labour. That protects women as much as it helps NHS staff.

“Midwives and MSWs will continue to work hard to defeat this virus. This is a national struggle to which we are all committed. In return we want the Government to keep the supply of PPE flowing into our hospitals, and to ratchet up the testing of staff without further delay.”

 

ENDS

 

 

Notes to editors

  1. The official guidance is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control
  2. The RCM’s clinical guidance page is available at https://www.rcm.org.uk/clinical-advice-during-the-crisis/
  3. 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/

 

 

To contact the RCM media relations team, call 020 7312 3456 or email [email protected]


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

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