How to enter

The awards are open to all RCM members including midwives, student midwives, MSWs, workplace representatives, educators and researchers.

Members may enter or nominate for more than one category.

Top tips for preparing your RCM awards entry:

1. Start your entry process early
The standards of entries improve every year, so give yourself plenty of time to prepare your best entry. Allow enough time to get someone from outside your team to read it and feedback comments.

2. Sell your success to the judges
Treat your entry as if it is a professional proposal. Keep it focused and logical, making sure everything will help the judges appreciate your achievement. Be clear about your objectives for your entry, with a brief background on your organisation to give it context. Outline how you achieved your project including, importantly, the benefits you have delivered. At the end, summarise the key points of your entry.

3. Where is the organisational value?
Do not submit entries where the results have not yet really materialised or cannot be quantified. Such submissions would be better deferred until next year. If your organisation submitted an entry last year that was unsuccessful, perhaps it should be re-submitted – with better evidence of the benefits achieved.

4. Keep it real and factual
Use supporting data from other departments, colleagues and or mums. Testimonials from senior personnel are beneficial, as are relevant external references. Stick to the facts and explain briefly what was involved.

5. Answer the question
Each category has a different set of questions and requirements. Ensure you plan your entry and answer the questions required.

6. Ensure your entry is anonymous
In order to ensure consistency and fairness in the judging process, the entries must be anonymous. If the entry can it identified, it may be disqualified.  You can include your contact details during the online entry process.

7. Be proud
Do yourselves proud and help the judges understand your organisation’s culture, your personality and the personality of your team.
Be innovative, creative and make it easy for your entry to be reproduced and circulated among the judges. Make sure your entry is a compelling read for all of them.

If you have a passion for delivering better births for all, these are the awards for you.

The main criteria used by the judges to selected the shortlist and winners will be the magnitude, importance and clarity of the benefit(s) to the organisation and/or trust arising from the project, innovation or initiative submitted.

Benefits should be supported by facts and figures. Entrants are also strongly encouraged to include examples of these including any supporting testimonials.

The judges are looking for:

• True innovation, not simply new ways of working or implementation of policy
• Clear demonstration of the identified need and personal rationale
• Demonstration of best practice
• Detail of the process of implementation from concept, to design, initial planning through to evaluation
• Evidence of impact on midwifery practice/service delivery/education
• Evidence of teamwork and involvement with the RCM and trust
• Innovation and creativity
• Plans for further research, development and full evaluation
• Midwives developing models of care to provide care to women and families under new national policies and frameworks – discussion of how generalisable their initiative could prove.
  
  

More details are available on each individual category entry form.

1. Choose which categories you wish to enter
2. Read the category criteria carefully
3. Download the entry form from the category page
4. Complete the entry form and save
5. Collate any references
6. Register and upload your submission online

In order to ensure a smooth and efficient entry process we ask that you follow some simple rules:

• Please limit submission forms to the word limit of 750 words (This includes all sections of the entry form).  References are not included in this word count. If your entry does exceed this word limit you run the risk of being disqualified. Please bear in mind that if shortlisted you may have the opportunity to present your entry in front of a panel of judges
• Make sure your entry is anonymous.  Include all of your contact details during the entry process.
• Make sure that you are completing the correct entry/nomination form for your category to avoid disqualification
• All categories allow entrant’s to supply supporting documentation. If you wish to upload a supporting document, please supply it as a separate document and limit it to 3 single sided A4 pages
• You must use the submission form provided – other forms cannot be accepted.

Each category has a submission limit of 750 words. Those entries which have a references section will be given extra space to accommodate this on top of the 750 words. Do not feel that you must use all 750 words, this is simply a limit. Use as much space as you feel you need to fully answer every aspect of the category criteria.

If you are nominating a RCM workplace representative or branch officer for the Members’ Champion Award, or nominating an MSW for their category you should submit up to 200 words covering the criteria as set out on the categories page.

Supporting materials and references are not included in the entry word count.

Entry Deadline:  31 January 2023 at 23.59

The RCM Awards judging panel will consist of representatives from the RCM in addition to other respected midwifery professionals, including RCM regional officers, board members and past winners.

Please note shortlisted entrants are expected to attend an interview to present their entry to a panel of judges including senior RCM staff members.   

The shortlisted team or individual is expected to prepare and present the original and expanded content on the day.

The interviews will take place on 22 March and will last around 45 minutes in total.

Further details regarding interviews will be sent once the shortlist is announced.

Entrant – if you submitted an entry and are shortlisted for an individual award you will receive one complimentary ticket for you to attend.

Nominated entry – if someone nominated you/ your team and the entry is shortlisted, you will receive two complimentary tickets; one for the person who submitted the nomination and one for yourself/ a team member mentioned on the entry.

Entries will not be accepted for judging unless you have entered via the online entry process, the requested company information has been supplied and the correct entry format has been uploaded.

Entries where the word count exceeds more than 750 words will be disqualified (except for the Members’ Champion Award).

Entrants may enter into more than one category where appropriate.

The judges reserve the right to re-categorise entries if they think another category would be more suitable. However, they cannot be expected to routinely re-categorise incorrectly entered submissions.

Please note that if your entry is shortlisted the information in your written submission may be used at the Awards ceremony and included in any supporting materials for the Awards, such as in Midwives magazine.

Entries may be withdrawn for any reason up until 23.59 on 31 January 2023.  To withdraw an entry, please email [email protected]

Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony at the Brewery, London on 19 May 2023.

The judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding them.