The Nursing and Midwifery Council (the NMC) has been consulting on proposed changes to its education standards, including “whether education standards for midwives could be further strengthened, so that future midwifery professionals qualify with the evidence-based knowledge, skills and behaviours to meet the needs of all women, newborn babies and families, regardless of background or ethnicity.”
AIMS responded to the question concerning midwifery practice learning standards as follows:
| Proposal | AIMS response |
|---|---|
|
To introduce a holistic assessment of student midwifery skills in caring for women who have a physiological vaginal birth |
We strongly agreed |
|
In addition to the current requirement to support and care for no less than 40 women in labour and conduct their vaginal birth, {students} must also gain experience of caring for no less than another 40 women who have additional care needs or develop complications, including those related to physical, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual factors. |
We strongly agreed, and added the detailed comments below. |
|
To increase the minimum length of midwifery programmes, including degree apprenticeships, from three years to four years |
We felt we could neither agree nor disagree with this proposal without more detail of what it would mean in practice, though there could be both benefits and downsides to it - see our comment below. |
|
To increase ‘shortened’ programmes (courses designed for registered adult nurses to qualify as midwives) to a minimum of two years |
We felt that this would be logical if the direct entry course was being lengthened to four years |
|
For student midwives to undertake one of their practice placements during the final part of their pre-registration programme and that this placement should be at least eight weeks |
We strongly agreed |
|
That continuity of supervision (having the same practice supervisor) for student midwives throughout the practice learning journey, should be provided wherever possible. |
We strongly agreed |
|
That simulated practice learning should contribute towards practice learning hours in pre-registration midwifery programmes |
We responded “Neither agree nor disagree” as we felt that we did not have enough information about the implications of this. |
|
Strengthening our requirements for AEIs and PLPs so that all nursing, nursing associate and midwifery professionals can develop the evidence-based skills, knowledge and experience they need around anti-racism, bias awareness, cultural curiosity, safety, and respect. |
We strongly agreed |
|
Strengthen the focus on partnership and collaborative working between AEIs and PLPs to support reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities. |
We strongly agreed |
AIMS response: Students should have placements in a Continuity of Carer team so that they get an opportunity to form relationships with the women in their care and learn from other team members about supporting women through the whole continuum.
Placements also need to include opportunities to:
Support women during the antenatal period to enable them to make informed decisions, and to develop a personalised care plan according to their needs and wishes.
Identify the woman’s physical, social, emotional and mental health needs before and after birth, and signpost to appropriate services.
Develop an understanding of the physiological processes of pregnancy, labour, birth, breastfeeding and postnatal recovery, and how these may vary in different kinds of birth, in order both to support and facilitate these processes when they are working, and to identify and respond promptly to deviations from the expected process.
Understand how classroom learning about women’s autonomy and human rights and professional duties to uphold and protect these translate into practical professionalism including respectful conversations with women, appropriate conversations with senior staff, and documenting women’s decisions.
AIMS response: We replied 'neither agree nor disagree' to the question about increasing the minimum length of midwifery programmes: We can see a benefit in students being able to spend longer on placements - though how does this work if the minimum number of hours is unchanged? Does spreading the same amount of funding for degree apprenticeships over 4 years mean that students get only three-quarters of the current funding per year? This could cause financial hardship and might put students off applying. There would certainly be financial implications for students not on a degree apprenticeship from making the course four years instead of three.
However, if the decision is made to extend the length of the direct entry programme then it would be logical to also extend shortened midwifery programmes to a minimum of two years.
AIMS response: Increasing the course length could have financial implications for those from low socio-economic groups, and also pose additional difficulties for those with caring responsibilities, who would need to fund alternative forms of care for an extra year.
We hope that this page is of interest, especially to our colleagues in the maternity services improvement community.
The AIMS Campaigns Team relies on Volunteers to carry out its work. If you would like to collaborate with us, are looking for further information about our work, or would like to join our team, please email campaigns@aims.org.uk.
You are welcome to quote from or link to this article in your own work to improve maternity services but please credit AIMS as the source. If you are using a quote please include the following words: “Quote from the AIMS article {URL}. AIMS is a charity that works towards better births for all by campaigning and information sharing, protecting human rights in childbirth and helping maternity service users to know their rights, whatever birth they want, and wherever they want it. See www.aims.org.uk
Please consider supporting us by becoming an AIMS member or making a donation. We are a small charity that accepts no commercial sponsorship, in order to preserve our reputation for providing impartial, evidence-based information.