2/2/2010

Two midwives from Abertawe Health Board have won one of the UK’s top midwifery prizes at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Annual Awards, the UK’s most prestigious midwifery awards in London.

Maggie Davies, consultant midwife, and Liz Rees, a birth centre midwife, have scooped the prize for their work at the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board to improve care women receive from midwives during labour.

Maggie and Liz’s award-winning entry involved offering a structured midwifery practice approach to women to help them prevent developing complications during labour. The midwives developed a package of care for women, using an acrostic, or poetry technique using the first letters of a word to convey an educational message about caring for women during the latent stage of labour.

The judges said: “This project has a strong training component and filled a much-needed gap in practice. It demonstrates a new approach to organising care in an area normally lacking attention. We liked the way this project demonstrated real listening, while supporting and empowering mothers. It is very pertinent to current work on care bundles.�

Cathy Warwick, general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “This award highlights the important, innovative and pioneering work being done by Maggie and Liz. I congratulate them on their commitment to the profession. It is important for people to know that midwifery education does not stand still and is constantly evolving.

"When midwives are given the resources, support and freedom to develop their work and learning, the result is better services, better care and better outcomes for mothers, babies and their families.�

Maggie Davies, consultant midwife, said: “It is an honour and a privilege to receive this award and I am extremely proud that the RCM has highlighted my work to engage with midwives and promote education and clinical issues.�

Liz Rees, birth centre midwife, said: I was really pleased to be part of this project and now realise that by spending valuable time with women in the latent phase of labour will help make the experience positive for them.