In the aftermath of the referendum on EU membership, uncertainty reigns. As I write this, members of the Conservative Party are considering leadership options following the resignation of David...
At the end of April, the Department of Health (DH) launched a consultation on proposed changes to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) legislation regarding midwifery regulation (Proctor, 2016)....
Despite talk of ‘woman-centred care’, much of the care provided by the NHS is based on guidelines directed at the whole population, rather than tailored to the individual. In time-pressured maternity...
My early years were not exactly traditional. My parents were actors, so the nature of their employment was sporadic. When I was a baby, my mother took a temporary job and my father looked after me....
The new National Maternity Review (NMR, 2016) for England has sparked a range of reactions. As this issue went to press, I read a comment in the New Scientist (Wilson, 2016) which is scathing in its...
One of the most emotionally challenging aspects of midwifery is supporting women and families to cope with perinatal death. In January, the Lancet (2016) launched a series on ending preventable...
The chief medical officer's (CMO's) latest Annual Report, published in December, focused on women's health (Davies, 2015). Media coverage of the report has focused on the key message that obesity is...
Last month, at the annual conference of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), I was one of many delegates privileged to hear a selection of excellent speakers including Karen Guilliland, chief...
Perinatal mental health is a priority issue for health professionals involved in the care of women during pregnancy and the postnatal period. Two recent publications have highlighted areas where...
Unless they have gone to great lengths to avoid any news media in recent weeks, it is highly unlikely that anyone in the UK will be unaware of the current influx of refugees to Europe, primarily from...
Public health is a fundamental aspect of the midwife's role. Regular contact with women and their families during pregnancy and the immediate postnatal period offers a crucial opportunity to maximise...
It is not unusual for me to receive a press release or two a day about a new midwifery study with a headline meant to catch my attention. Most of the time I skim read them for importance and file them...
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