The Royal College of Midwives acts on behalf of the Scottish Multiprofessional Maternity Education Group (SMMEG) which has a service level agreement (Appendix 1) with the Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) to provide the Maternity Development Programme and its related courses. The Constitution of the SMMEG details the working relationships (Appendix 2). This document sets out the organisational and management systems of the Royal College of Midwives to demonstrate its fitness for purpose as an educational provider and details the relationships between the partners in the Scottish Multiprofessional Maternity Education Group.

The Royal College of Midwives is the largest trade union and professional body for midwives. The majority of midwives in the UK are members of the RCM. The College carries out work in providing professional leadership, lobbying for effective legislation and advancing midwifery knowledge. The College provides its own programme of continuing professional development courses and has an extensive midwifery library. The College influences updating of midwifery legislation and thus influences the pattern for the future provision of maternity care.

The organisational headquarters of the RCM is in London. The College is governed by an elected Council of practising midwives. Council sets the strategy through the strategic plan and directs the implementation by staff. Each of the four UK Countries – Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England has its own RCM Board providing education and research, professional affairs and employment relations services to midwives in those countries. This structure is supplemented by the framework of branches where members where can give and receive support as well as discuss professional and workplace issues.

The RCM has its own financial strategy. This is agreed by Council. It publishes independently audited annual accounts for debate at its AGM each year. A separate financial plan for the Scottish Maternity Development Programme has been agreed with the SEHD.

The RCM has an extensive network to ensure effective liaison with the National Health Service and Higher Education Institutions. In Scotland this includes regular meetings of the Advisory Group on Education comprising midwifery lecturers, and the Heads of Midwifery Group. Members of the RCM are also members of Health Boards and Trust Boards thus ensuring that effective communication channels are maintained.

As part of the SMMEG, the RCM will take responsibility for liasing with the other members of the group to ensure that information is disseminated. This will include hosting meetings, as appropriate, and the use of e-mail networks.

The RCM on behalf of the SMMEG will ensure that the Scottish Maternity Development Programme website is kept updated to ensure effective communication about the Scottish Maternity Development Programme courses and the activities of the SMMEG.

The Service Level Agreement between the SEHD and the SMMEG ensures that effective procedures are in place for assuring the quality of the collaboration between the different organisations. This will be demonstrated through the SMMEG report which will be made annually to the SEHD.

The organisational structure of the RCM ensures that its work is open and transparent. The RCM on behalf of the SMMEG will administer the quality assurance processes developed by the SMMEG and outlined in the Scottish Maternity Development Programme Section of this validation document. These processes ensure that learning and teaching strategies are effective and that courses meet the needs of individuals and Trusts. Resources are developed by Working Groups comprising professionals and users and take account of available evidence and best practice statements. All learners on courses have access to the relevant learning materials. The SMDP quality assurance mechanism embraces the principles of fairness in the appeals mechanism and the complaint procedures.

Courses of the nature identified in the Scottish Maternity Development Programme are subject to change according to professional and clinical needs, expectations and course evaluation. It is envisaged that there will be an on-going robust evaluation of the Quality Assurance process of the SMDP by an external body. The SMMEG is not in a position to carry out an evaluation of the impact the SMDP on women’s reproductive health outcomes but will suggest to groups such as SPERCH that an evaluation would be helpful. Finally the recommendations of EGAMS will be included in the SEHD Performance Assessment Framework and all Boards must ensure that cognisance is taken of this.