I was truly surprised and incredibly thankful to learn that I and Swansea Bay Maternity Services had been awarded an Iolanthe Midwives Award.
This recognition is UK-wide, and the funding is highly competitive across the country. I applied for this award because I am passionate about ensuring that staff can access Biomechanics training, a need I've observed as a Clinical Supervisor for Midwives and as a dedicated RCM Learning Representative.
Given the limited funding for education in the NHS, I needed to secure three sources of funding for this training. Therefore, the support from the Iolanthe Award was invaluable; without the trust's assistance, this opportunity would not have been possible.
Twenty midwives participated in the training at what trainer Molly described as the most picturesque location, next to Bracelet Bay in South Wales. It was a glorious sunny day, and the incredible venue provided us with a conducive learning environment that supported staff development in knowledge and skills.
Over the two days of training, we were challenged, inspired, and empowered, leaving us all feeling enthusiastic about the next steps.
Staff have been sharing their experiences of using Biomechanics in practice, which we documented in a video for a training session to disseminate this information to all staff-'Tales worth telling'.
We are now exploring further advanced training and the development of guidelines.
Additionally, we have established a Monthly Midwifery Think Tank because we felt the need for a dedicated space and time to reconnect with our practice, inspire each other, and ignite positive change. This platform allows midwives to drive change and develop strategies to balance the increasing number of obstetric interventions. Lastly, we introduced Birth Boxes to support staff in optimising birth environments. Your funding support has truly helped us to 'Repower.'
Empowered midwives empower women, birthing people and their families.