‘Woman-centred care’ is the term used for a philosophy of maternity care that gives priority to the wishes and needs of the user, and emphasises the importance of informed choice, continuity of care, user involvement, clinical effectiveness, responsiveness and accessibility. All four countries of the UK introduced policies for maternity services reform in the early 1990s that aimed to make the planning and delivery of maternity care more responsive to women’s own needs and wishes, and to improve women’s ability to make informed choices about many aspects of their care (Department of Health, 1993; Department of Health and Social Services Northern Ireland, 1994; Scottish Office, 1993; Welsh Office, 1991). These policies are still in place and have the support of the current Government, but they have been overtaken by new health policies and priorities. This paper sets out the RCM’s position on woman-centred care.