Fiona Bradley, Senior Professional Officer
Review of the Maternity Support Workers education programme and development of resources for the Maternity Support Worker role
In 2021, the Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health, (DoH) and the Director of Workforce Policy Directorate (DoH) commissioned the Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery (NIPEC) to lead:
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- A review of the regional Maternity Support Workers education programme and;
- Develop resources for the Maternity Support Worker role which reflect those endorsed by the Department of Health: including Standards for Nursing Assistants, the Induction and Development Pathway for Nursing Assistants and Job Description.
Maternity Support Workers are an integral part of maternity services and are key to providing support to midwives in the delivery of safe and effective women centred care.
The role of the Maternity Support Worker (MSW) in Northern Ireland has evolved and expanded since it was first established in 2010. It is now an opportune time to review the existing MSW education and training provision to ensure that it is fit for the role now and into the future.
It is also timely to develop resources for the MSW role which reflect those endorsed by the DoH for Nursing Assistants (2018). The Standards will provide clarity on the role and responsibilities of the MSW as well as provide assurances that they are working to an agreed standard. The Induction and Development pathway will provide a structured pathway of development and progression for those who intend to advance their careers.
The Review commenced in February 2022 – see the Project Initiation Document (including membership of the Steering Group and Terms of Reference)
The Project Initiation Document (including membership of the Steering Group and Terms of Reference)
View the Steering Group meetings: Agendas and Action Notes from the right hand menu
View the Membership of the Working Group, Terms of Reference, the Agendas and Action Notes from the right hand menu