Midwives and maternity support workers are honoured at the RCM Awards 2021
on 27 October 2021
Midwives and maternity support workers have been celebrated for their hard work, commitment and achievements over the last year at the RCM Awards 2021.
The event was held in London, bringing together midwives and maternity support workers from across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Singer and Presenter Mylene Klass introduced all of the 15 award categories.
The RCM Awards 2021 is one of the first in-person events the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has hosted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with last year’s awards being held virtually.
The RCM Chief Executive, Gill Walton, said: “It’s no secret that maternity services are currently grappling with many challenges so being able to acknowledge and recognise all the high-quality innovative work that midwives and MSWs are doing is so important. Every winner this year has excelled in what they do, their work on initiatives and programmes at local and national level will inevitably go towards improving maternity care and ensure women have a positive pregnancy and birth experience.
"It’s more important than ever for us to celebrate these achievements, to applaud our colleagues and to recognise the excellence in maternity services across the country.”
RCM Awards 2021 winners
Partnership Working Award
Dr Sally Pezaro, Coventry University
Waterwipes Maternity Support Worker of the Year Award
Candice Noonan, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Excellence in Maternity Care During a Global Pandemic
Anne Richley and Claire Dale, Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
Thompsons Members' Champion Award
Zoe Meneilly, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Slimming World Caring for You During a Global Pandemic
Cardiff RCM Branch, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
JOHNSON'S Excellence in Midwifery Education, Learning & Research
Susanne Thomas and Patrice McKenna, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital
Excellence in Bereavement Care
Sian Ness and Beth Towsey (The Lullaby Team) Mid and South Essex NHS Trust
Pregnacare Student Midwife of the Year
Beatrice Bennett, University of Nottingham
Innovation in Maternity Care
Amanda Mansfield and Susan Watkins, The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
RCM Race Matters Award
Fatima Ghaouch and Samukeliso Sibanda, Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
NMC Excellence in Perinatal Mental Health
Fiona Laird and Mellissa Jhagroo, North Middlesex Hospital
RCM Leadership Award
Grace Thomas, Cardiff University
WaterWipes Team of the Year
Lisa Darrah and Sinead McFarlane (SWAN team) Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Midwives' Midwife of the Year
England - Tania Pearce, England East Surrey Hospital.
Scotland- Frances Arrowsmith, NHS Highland.
Wales Sarah Hookes, NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership.
Northern Ireland - Susanne Thomas, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
WaterWipes Midwifery Service of the Year
Kathy Murphy, Head of Midwifery and team, Central Manchester NHS Trust
Honorary Fellowships to RCM were also presented to Professor Ann Holmes, Terri Coates, Dr Kathryn Gutteridge, and Professor Marlene Sinclair.
The full list of award nominees can be found here.
Photo: Midwifery Service of the Year award winners Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust @MidwivesRCM via Twitter