A midwife from March has received a national award from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).

Gail Johnson, who works as an education advisor at the RCM, was given the prestigious Honorary Fellowship from the RCM for her contribution to midwifery and maternity services.

Since joining the RCM in 2005, Gail has been instrumental in developing the RCM’s online learning programme i-learn.

This learning resource - free to RCM members - is one of the RCM’s most successful products.

It supports midwives and maternity support workers to keep up to date and informed about their role and work.

Her work and expertise around reducing stillbirth and improving bereavement care has also led to this Honorary Fellowship.

Gail said: “I am really delighted to have been nominated for RCM Honorary Fellow, it is a massive honour. I would like to thank my colleagues who have supported the online learning (RCM i-learn) and leadership education development, their guidance has been invaluable.

“I look forward to continuing the work to ensure that we meet the needs of the profession and maternity care.”

There are currently more than 100 courses on i-learn, with many more in the pipeline, and it has over 19,000 RCM members regularly using it.

Gail has also led on the development of the RCM’s work around leadership in maternity services, including conferences and workshops. This has been so successful that it was shortlisted for a Health Service Journal award.

Over the past two years Gail has also found the energy and resources, largely in her spare time, to edit Mayes’ Midwifery (15th edition).

It is a text book which is one of the mainstays of midwifery education and is used by midwifery students and midwives across the world.

Gail received the award on March 6 at the Royal College of Midwives Annual Awards in London.

Kathryn Gutteridge, president of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “Gail’s work has been so important, not just for the RCM but for midwives, maternity services and women and their families. This is a thoroughly deserved honour and the Royal College of Midwives is delighted to award her this Honorary Fellowship.”

The RCM Honorary Fellowship is for people who make an outstanding contribution, or give outstanding service, to midwifery, maternity services, services for women and their families or to the RCM.