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All Ireland midwifery conference brings together midwives from north and south of the Irish border

on 05 November 2020 RCM Maternity Services Covid-19 NHS Staff Safety Northern Ireland Director For Northern Ireland RCM Northern Ireland Republic of Ireland INMO - Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation

Midwives and maternity support workers from both sides of the Irish border will today join forces for the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) annual all Ireland Midwifery Conference.

‘Midwifery – adaptable and responsive during a crisis’ is the theme for this year’s conference which will see members from both North and South of Ireland join together virtually to learn how maternity services and midwives have adapted to delivering maternity care during COVID-19.

Commenting, RCM’s Director for Northern Ireland, Karen Murray said:

“We are delighted to be able to deliver this conference again this year with the INMO albeit virtually. With Brexit looming it has never been more important to work with, learn and share experiences with midwives in the Republic of Ireland. The conference will be reflecting on the response of midwives and maternity services  to what has been an unparalleled situation created by the COVID 19 pandemic both in terms of how we provide care to women and their babies, but also how midwives and all maternity staff can look after their own physical and mental health to ensure they can continue to deliver high quality care to women across the island of Ireland.”

The rise in domestic abuse during this pandemic will also be tackled by Woman’s Aid CEO Sarah Benson. The RCM will also reveal how they developed rapid clinical guidance and advice for women and their families with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) during the pandemic. 

General Secretary of the INMO, Phil Ni Sheaghdha said:

“We are very pleased that this important event can proceed this year, despite the extraordinary circumstances we find ourselves in. We have seen tremendous courage and professionalism among our midwifery colleagues over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the personal and professional challenges faced by our members cannot be underestimated. We continue to pursue protections for midwives at work in the midst of this pandemic and will continue to ensure health and safety at work remains a priority for all employers. Now more than ever it is vital that midwives can come together to share experience, innovations, and expertise, so they can continue to provide the best possible care to women, babies and their families.”

ENDS

To contact the RCM media office call 020 7312 3456 or email [email protected]. To contact the INMO

To contact the INMO communications team call 087 7987948

Notes to Editors

 

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/.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) is the professional trade union for nurses and midwives. The Organisation’s members work in all areas of the Irish healthcare system, both public and private, including clinical, educational and management in both hospital and community settings.

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