Essential Maternity Training

Midwifery and maternity care services are an essential part of the National Health Service (NHS) in England. The provision of high-quality care and support during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period is critical for ensuring the health and well-being of both mothers and babies. The NHS England Core Competency Framework Version 2 outlines the standards and requirements for midwifery and maternity care services in England.

Take a look through the range of competency areas and suggested training needs aligned to each competency:

Competency Area 1: Professional Values and Behaviours

This competency area encompasses the professional values and behaviours that are essential for midwives and maternity care providers to deliver high-quality care. Training needs in this area may include:

• Training on ethical and legal issues related to midwifery and maternity care.
• Training on professional conduct and behaviour, including communication skills and conflict resolution.
• Training on cultural competence and the provision of person-centred care.

Competency Area 2: Communication

Effective communication is critical for ensuring that mothers and their families receive the support and care they need during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. Training needs in this area may include:

• Training on effective communication skills, including active listening, empathy, and nonverbal communication.
• Training on communication strategies for working with mothers who may have different communication needs or preferences, such as those who speak a different language or who have hearing or visual impairments.
• Training on communication strategies for working with families, including partners and other support persons.

Competency Area 3: Assessment and Care Planning

Midwives and maternity care providers must be skilled in conducting assessments and developing care plans that meet the individual needs of each mother and baby. Training needs in this area may include:

• Training on antenatal and postnatal assessments, including physical examinations and medical history taking.
• Training on developing individualized care plans that take into account the needs and preferences of each mother and baby.
• Training on identifying and managing risk factors and complications, including emergency situations.

Competency Area 4: Clinical Skills

Midwives and maternity care providers must be skilled in a range of clinical skills to provide high-quality care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. Training needs in this area may include:

• Training on safe and effective medication management, including administration and dosage calculation.
• Training on techniques for monitoring fetal well-being, including electronic fetal monitoring.
• Training on techniques for managing pain during labor and childbirth, including non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions.

Competency Area 5: Leadership and Teamwork

Midwives and maternity care providers must work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals to ensure the best possible outcomes for mothers and babies. Training needs in this area may include:

• Training on leadership skills, including effective delegation, decision-making, and conflict resolution.
• Training on working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals, including obstetricians, pediatricians, and nurses.
• Training on effective teamwork and communication strategies for working in a multidisciplinary team.

Training need actions from recent English National Maternity Reviews

The recent English national maternity reviews, including the Ockenden, East Kent, and Kirkup reports, have highlighted several training requirements for midwives and maternity care providers in England. These reports have identified the need for:

• Training on clinical skills and knowledge, particularly around identifying and managing risk factors and complications during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.
• Training on effective communication with mothers and their families, including active listening, empathy, and cultural competence.
• Training on leadership and teamwork, including effective communication strategies for working in a multidisciplinary team and effective delegation, decision-making, and conflict resolution.
• Training on recognising and addressing bullying and harassment within the workplace, and creating a culture of respect and support for all staff members.
• Training on quality improvement and safety practices, including incident reporting and learning from adverse events.