Head of Royal College launches skills passport for student midwives

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Professor Cathy Warwick, Executive Director of the Royal College of Midwives, visited Swansea University and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board, to speak to midwives and to launch an all-Wales “skills passport” for students.

Chief midwife visits Swansea UniPicture: (l-r) Anne-Marie Thomas, Year 2 Midwifery Student; Professor Cathy Warwick, Executive Director RCM (UK); Maria Nash, Year 2 Midwifery Student, Helen Rogers, Director RCM (Wales)

Professor Warwick was a keynote speaker at a study day for midwives organised by the Health Board on Friday 17 January.

She also launched a “Pre-Qualifying Skills Passport” for student midwives, to help them develop particular midwifery skills.  It aims to supplement the Standards for Midwifery Education and will help ensure that essential skills are acquired and used safely and appropriately before the student registers as a midwife.

MidwiferyPicture: Alice Gynn and Laura Scott, recent graduates in midwifery from Swansea University

The passport arose from work at Swansea University's College of Human and Health Sciences, but has been developed by all the Heads of Midwifery Education in Wales, working together with all the Heads of Midwifery Services.

The passport will be used by students and their mentors throughout Wales from January 2014.  

It is also anticipated that the passport may have continued use in Health Boards throughout Wales for supporting midwives with up-dating after they have qualified.

Midwifery - Rehanna SaheidPicture:  Rehanna Saheid, midwifery student in the College of Human and Health Sciences

Susanne Darra, head of midwifery education at Swansea University, said:

“We were delighted to welcome Professor Cathy Warwick, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives, to Swansea.   

The study day in partnership with ABMU Health Board was very interesting and thought-provoking for our midwifery students here in the College of Human and Health Sciences.
 
The new “passport” that Professor Warwick launched will continue to help improve standards of care.   We are proud that it grew out of work here at Swansea, and was developed in partnership with other universities and heads of midwifery in the NHS.  

It will help student midwives to perfect the high-level skills they need before they register as a midwife.”



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