Categories

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for an individual only
Entry or nominated: Entrants can either self nominate or submit a nomination for a colleague

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

An individual who has led a project, a change, an innovation, a service or a team of proven success or excellent performance in any maternity setting: practice, education or research at any level.

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate that through their leadership their working environment is respectful, supportive, high achieving and focused on facilitating the highest standards of care for women and their families

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

•  A strong communicator with the ability to inspire & motivate through words and actions, embracing collaboration and creativity
• Passionate and committed to maternity care
• A positive role model
• An innovative and inclusive leader
• Able to demonstrate sustainability and change cultures

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for either an individual or for a team
Entry or nominated: Entrants can either self nominate or submit a nomination for a colleague

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

With every contact counting, maternity staff all have a role to play in influencing and maximising the health and wellbeing of women, babies, families and communities throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. This award recognises a midwife, student midwife, maternity support worker or maternity team who deliver innovative, evidence based, cost-effective high-quality care aimed at contributing to the public health agenda.

The nominated individuals or teams will be able to demonstrate how they have met the challenges of reducing health inequalities through improving maternal and population health, ensuring the best start in life.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• A clear description of the initiative/project and the rationale for its development
• The evidence base underpinning the initiative/project, and identification of any evidence being generated by the initiative/project
• A description of the implementation of the strategy/initiative
• An outline of strategy used to evaluate the impact of the project

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for either an individual or for a team
Entry or nominated: Entrants can either self nominate or submit a nomination for a colleague

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

This Award will recognise a midwifery educator or a team of educators who are able to demonstrate innovation, dynamism, commitment and enthusiasm for education to benefit student midwives, midwives or MSWs.  This may be demonstrated through the development of teaching and learning initiatives which have enhanced the student, MSW or midwife learning experience, fostered multidisciplinary team working and/or promoted continuing professional development.  

Projects could promote education in academic or clinical settings as well as innovations in approaches to pre- and post- registration education and learning that increase students/MSWs/midwives’ capability and confidence. Projects may also prepare and equip students/MSWs/midwives to provide the highest quality care and that advance the art and science of midwifery knowledge. 

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• A clear description of the initiative/project and the rationale for its development
• The evidence base underpinning the initiative/project, and identification of any evidence being generated by the initiative/project to add to the midwifery education body of knowledge
• A description of the implementation of the teaching strategy/initiative
• An outline of the strategy used to evaluate the impact of the initiative/project on the learning experience of the student/ MSW/midwife

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for either an individual or for a team
Entry or nominated: This category is entry only. You cannot nominate. 

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

This Award will recognise a midwifery researcher* or a team of researchers who are able to demonstrate that they have furthered the midwifery knowledge base for the benefit of women and families, and/or student midwives, midwives and MSWs, or other maternity professionals. Research undertaken in relation to any aspect of midwifery practice is eligible.

*Midwifery researchers are defined as Research Midwives working on portfolio studies, midwives undertaking PhD level study, midwives in clinical-academic roles, and midwives who are undertaking independent research projects/roles.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• A clear description of the research context, rationale and how this work will add to the midwifery research body of knowledge [including the underpinning evidence, and the justification of the need]
• A clear summary of the research proposal [aims, objectives, methods, findings, conclusion, and implications for practice], including a summary of any challenges that were met and overcome
• A description of the implementation process / dissemination of the research findings for the benefit of the wider midwifery community
• A brief reflection on the way that undertaking this research has benefited your practice

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member midwife, student midwife, maternity support worker or maternity team
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for either an individual or for a team
Entry or nominated: Entrants can either self nominate or submit a nomination for a colleague

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

While all midwives have a role in supporting women’s mental health through pregnancy, this award recognizes specialist midwives or specialist teams who are championing, leading and advocating to ensure women and their families receive the best care possible. 

The nominated individuals or teams will have specialist knowledge of maternal mental health, will actively support the wider maternity team and will be active collaborator with the local multi-disciplinary perinatal mental health services.

The nominated individual(s) should be able to demonstrate working with local communities and or community organisations to raise awareness of perinatal mental health

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Raising awareness of the issues around maternal mental health and the impact that maternity care and support can have on outcomes for women and their family
• Demonstrate success in identifying and referring and signposting women for care and support and understands the context of local services provision
• Securing appropriate care and services for individual women and their families
• Approaches to tackling stigma, identifying risk and building trust with women
  implementation of pathways that strengthen emotional wellbeing

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member midwife, student midwife, maternity support worker or maternity team
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for either an individual or for a team
Entry or nominated: Entrants can either self nominate or submit a nomination for a colleague

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

This award recognises excellence in bereavement care provision by maternity staff for women and their families when a baby dies. This award will go to a midwife, student midwife, maternity support worker or maternity team who provide high quality, parent-centered, empathic and safe bereavement care. This is an award for someone or a team that is passionate and committed to delivering best practice in bereavement care. Perhaps they have introduced innovative guidance, structure or policies to ensure excellent care and improved parent experience when a baby dies.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Demonstrates a strong commitment to delivering excellent bereavement care
• Shows evidence of an initiative or service development which has worked in practice to improve bereavement care
• Has delivered a standard of care beyond that reasonably expected from all maternity staff
• Works in partnership with MSLCs/MVPs or other parent groups to inform and influence service change

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member midwife, student midwife, maternity support worker or maternity team
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for either an individual or for a team
Entry or nominated: Entrants can either self nominate or submit a nomination for a colleague

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

The award will recognise an individual or team that may have led midwifery collaborations internationally across clinical, education, research, or policy. It will be awarded to an individual member or group of members/Team who are able to demonstrate innovation, dynamism, commitment and enthusiasm for excellence in international engagement to strengthen midwifery globally together with a consistently high-quality approach to international partnerships, including twinning between international midwifery teams.  It may also include research teams conducting joint projects, clinical training and international collaborations.

This project or initiative will be one in which midwives demonstrate active involvement and collaboration with international colleagues to develop sustainable professional collaborations across research, education, clinical, policy impacting global health.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Demonstrates a strong commitment to strengthening global midwifery through collaboration and partnership
• Demonstrates relevance to the wider context of global maternal and newborn healthcare and makes clear links to the WHO (2021) Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery and the ICM (2021) Professional Framework for Midwifery
• Gives due regard for safeguarding, cultural respect, equity and power-sharing in international engagement and collaboration
• Shows evidence of an innovative approach
• Has delivered an outstanding programme that provides an example for others to follow
• Works in collaboration with international partners to influence change at policy level
• Can demonstrate the impact of their initiative

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member midwife, student midwife, maternity support worker or maternity team
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for either an individual or for a team
Entry or nominated: Entrants can either self nominate or submit a nomination for a colleague

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

This award recognises the role that digital innovation can contribute to maternity services, safety and the health and wellbeing of women, babies, families and communities throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. This award recognises a midwife, student midwife, maternity support worker or maternity team for an outstanding achievement in digital innovation or its implementation.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Demonstrates a strong commitment to delivering excellent digital innovation or implementation
• Shows evidence of an initiative or service development which has worked in practice to improve care digital innovation or implementation
• Has delivered a standard of care in digital innovation
• Works in partnership with digital innovation or implementation to inform and influence service change

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM activist or RCM Branch
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for either an individual or for a team
Entry or nominated: This category is nominate only 
Eligible to nominate? RCM Regional and National Officers, RCM Organisers and RCM members

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

This award recognises RCM activism either by an individual or a group of activists who have contributed to RCM presence, activity, solidarity and community at local level.  Nominations may include examples of supporting & representing members individually and collectively; campaigning; capacity building; recruiting; organising, engaging or revitalizing their Branch.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Details of how the nominated activist(s) makes a difference for members in the workplace
• How the nominated activist(s) contributes to the value and benefit of belonging to the RCM for members
• Evidence of initiative, enthusiasm and dedication in promoting the work of the RCM in the workplace
• Evidence of impact in promoting, supporting and influencing on behalf of RCM members

Please do not, however, include details of any personal case work handled by the representative

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member midwife, student midwife, maternity support worker or Higher Education Institution staff
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for either an individual or for a team
Entry or nominated: Entrants can either self nominate or submit a nomination for a colleague

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

This award is looking for an individual or teams within maternity services who has provided an exemplary commitment or outstanding contributions to champion, diversity and inclusion within maternity services for service users or staff. The individual or team has demonstrated an outstanding achievement or improvements in outcomes, inequalities, disparities or lived experiences. This can be demonstrated through professional service delivery, quality improvements, role model, research, teaching, staff networks, activism, mentoring, curriculum transformation, coaching, innovations and/or a combination of creativity in these fields for equity. The award is particularly looking for how this work or its implementation has contributed to positive changes, improvements of racial injustice and sustainability of inclusivity of those with other protected characteristics within maternity services for workforce or service users.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• A contribution over and above to support, nurture, inspire and assist colleagues
• Understanding of the impact that conscious bias, unconscious bias, prejudice, disparities and discrimination can have on either/or the delivery of high quality maternity care towards those from Black, Asian Ethnic backgrounds and/or with protected characteristics
• Evidence of the respect and admiration of colleagues with lived experiences
• A champion for change in cultures, attitudes and behaviours that improve either the experiences or outcomes for Black, Asian, Ethnic maternity service users, staff or within Higher Education Institutions
• Evaluation of impact of project including sustainability, transferability and lessons learnt. There is clear evidence of the implementation process and partnership benefits for Black, Asian or Ethnic communities and/or staff

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member who is a Midwife or a Higher Education Institution staff from a Black, Asian or Ethnic background 
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for an individual only
Entry or nominated: This category is nomination only 

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

This award is to honour and celebrate an extraordinary unsung hero such as a midwife, student midwife, Maternity Support Worker or Higher Education Institution staff from a Black, Asian or Ethnic background. The Race Matters Unsung Hero award has been funded by Birthing And Maternity Education, Birthing With Colour and delivered in collaboration with the RCM, to recognise the contributions of unsung Heroes without thought of recognition; to deliver exemplary service delivery or education that promotes collaborative, culturally sensitive working and ultimately higher standards of care for all service users.  The nominated unsung hero must demonstrate exemplary commitment within maternity services or the profession. The individual has demonstrated outstanding contributions through service delivery, research, teaching, staff networks, activism, mentoring, curriculum transformation, coaching, and/or a combination of creativity in these fields. The award is particularly looking for how their work commitments or innovation implementation has contributed to positive changes within the maternity services, safety and the health and wellbeing of women, babies, families and communities throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• A contribution over and above to support, nurture, inspire and assist colleagues
• Commitment to work as a team or led from behind the scenes demonstrating a positive attitude and/or enthusiasm within their capacity to ensure optimal experiences and outcome of others
• Understanding of the impact that conscious bias, unconscious bias, prejudice, disparities and discrimination can have on either/or the delivery of high quality maternity care service users and/or staff
• Evidence of the respect and admiration of colleagues
• A champion for change in cultures, attitudes and behaviours that improve either the experiences or outcomes for maternity service users, staff or within Higher Education Institutions
• Consistency works above and beyond within their capacity but does not expect or seek praise for their work ethic or positive contributions to maternity services

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member who is a Maternity Support Worker or Student Midwife from a Black, Asian or Ethnic background
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for an individual only
Entry or nominated: This category is nomination only 

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

This award is to honour and celebrate an extraordinary unsung hero such as a midwife, student midwife, Maternity Support Worker or Higher Education Institution staff from a Black, Asian or Ethnic background. The Race Matters Unsung Hero award has been funded by Birthing And Maternity Education, Birthing With Colour and delivered in collaboration with the RCM, to recognise the contributions of unsung Heroes without thought of recognition; to deliver exemplary service delivery or education that promotes collaborative, culturally sensitive working and ultimately higher standards of care for all service users.  The nominated unsung hero must demonstrate exemplary commitment within maternity services or the profession. The individual has demonstrated outstanding contributions through service delivery, research, teaching, staff networks, activism, mentoring, curriculum transformation, coaching, and/or a combination of creativity in these fields. The award is particularly looking for how their work commitments or innovation implementation has contributed to positive changes within the maternity services, safety and the health and wellbeing of women, babies, families and communities throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• A contribution over and above to support, nurture, inspire and assist colleagues
• Commitment to work as a team or led from behind the scenes demonstrating a positive attitude and/or enthusiasm within their capacity to ensure optimal experiences and outcome of others
• Understanding of the impact that conscious bias, unconscious bias, prejudice, disparities and discrimination can have on either/or the delivery of high quality maternity care service users and/or staff
• Evidence of the respect and admiration of colleagues
• A champion for change in cultures, attitudes and behaviours that improve either the experiences or outcomes for maternity service users, staff or within Higher Education Institutions
• Consistency works above and beyond within their capacity but does not expect or seek praise for their work ethic or positive contributions to maternity services

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member Student Midwife
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for an individual only
Entry or nominated: Entrants can either self nominate or submit a nomination for a colleague
Who can nominate: Tutor/mentor or RCM member or a Midwifery Society or the student

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

This award seeks to enable an exceptional student midwife to travel in the UK or outside the UK for their midwifery elective placement and to bring back reciprocal learning to their peers.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Demonstrates vision and leadership potential and commitment to midwifery
• Contributes to the improvement of the student experience while studying midwifery
• Acts as an advocate and role model for fellow students
• Contributes extra time and effort to midwifery through commitment to The Royal College of Midwives or the development of a Midwifery Society
• Shows consideration for the wider context of global midwifery
• Demonstrates cultural humility and a desire to learn from others in different contexts
• Evidence of commitment to sharing learning with peers and the wider UK midwifery community

CRITERIA
Eligible: A maternity support worker (MSW) (any individual who is employed to support midwives in the care of childbearing women, the newborn and their families) who is an RCM member.
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for an individual only
Entry or nominated: Entrants can either self nominate or submit a nomination for a colleague. Any RCM member may nominate an individual MSW. However, it is expected the MSW(s) will attend and present at the judging day if shortlisted. RCM Member MSWs may also enter directly.

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

This award recognises the importance and value of Maternity Support Workers (MSW) in providing holistic care to women and their families.  Nominees will be positive role models and exemplars of the contribution that MSWs make within the maternity team.  The award will be made to an MSW who can demonstrate that the development of their role in supporting midwives has led to improved care.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Evidence of impact on service delivery, including the benefits to women and their babies and the maternity service
• Detail of how the role of the MSW has been developed and evaluated
• Evidence of how the MSW role is incorporated with the wider maternity team
• Personal leadership qualities that are recognised within the team

CRITERIA
Eligible: Any RCM member
Individual or team category: You can submit an entry for a team only
Entry or nominated: Entrants can either self nominate or submit a nomination for a colleague

CATEGORY DESCRIPTION

This award is for the midwifery or maternity team (encompassing midwives, midwifery educators, the medical team, maternity support workers/nursery nurses, allied health professionals and others) that is able to demonstrate attributes of dynamism, commitment and enthusiasm, and high levels of excellent inter-professional team working or partnership with others. The award will recognize a team that may have designed a unique way of working or model of care within a contemporary maternity service. The team will be one that has an appropriate skill mix and an innovative and consistently high-quality approach to the provision of care to women, their babies and families.  It may include a team providing routine or specialist maternity care.

This project or initiative will be one in which midwives demonstrate active involvement and collaboration with the multidisciplinary team and involve service users/local community to develop models of care built on principles of partnership, accountability and professional excellence.

THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR:

• A clear description of the team composition and ways of working including identification of the problem to be solved, rationale for the approach, context, planning and implementation
• Evidence of needs assessment that included the community
• How was the team chosen/what was the process for choosing team members
• How the team members work together to enhance care provision with explicit detail about how the team worked collaboratively with service users, the multidisciplinary team, other agencies and stakeholders to achieve their aims
• Evidence of how regulated and non-regulated roles integrate for seamless care
• Implementation and evaluation strategies
• Evaluation of impact of project including sustainability, transferability and lessons learnt.