http://www.midirs.org/ Midwifery news and press releases http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/042616E87A115083802576E20043955A?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/042616E87A115083802576E20043955A Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:18:11 GMT UK news Queen's University Belfast, 6-8 September 2010, The 2010 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Social Medicine The Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) is designed to facilitate the reporting of new research findings, providing opportunities for younger members and established names in epidemiology and health services research to meet and to present in a relaxed, friendly environment. It provides excellent opportunities for networking, developing and maintaining friendships and enjoying the... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/D9EA9022255035C2802576E2004201E8?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/D9EA9022255035C2802576E2004201E8 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:00:58 GMT UK news Scientists at Nottingham Trent University have helped to successfully map the genetic make-up of a deadly form of bacteria known to exist in powdered baby formula. The team say that their work could significantly help to reduce the possibility and risk of infections amongst newborn babies, along with the development of new and suitable treatments. Professor Stephen Forsythe – a specialist in food microbiology from Nottingham Trent University's School of Science and Technology – has worked alo... , http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/D9EA9022255035C2802576E2004201E8?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/D9EA9022255035C2802576E2004201E8 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:00:58 GMT International news Scientists at Nottingham Trent University have helped to successfully map the genetic make-up of a deadly form of bacteria known to exist in powdered baby formula. The team say that their work could significantly help to reduce the possibility and risk of infections amongst newborn babies, along with the development of new and suitable treatments. Professor Stephen Forsythe – a specialist in food microbiology from Nottingham Trent University's School of Science and Technology – has worked alo... , http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/D9EA9022255035C2802576E2004201E8?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/D9EA9022255035C2802576E2004201E8 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:00:58 GMT Infant feeding Scientists at Nottingham Trent University have helped to successfully map the genetic make-up of a deadly form of bacteria known to exist in powdered baby formula. The team say that their work could significantly help to reduce the possibility and risk of infections amongst newborn babies, along with the development of new and suitable treatments. Professor Stephen Forsythe – a specialist in food microbiology from Nottingham Trent University's School of Science and Technology – has worked alo... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/3EA5C6ACEF21DF24802576E2003C0469?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/3EA5C6ACEF21DF24802576E2003C0469 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:55:32 GMT UK news Scribbling down a poem to express her feelings ultimately leads Jacki Rodikis to the publishing of Because you're a woman, an autobiography that takes the reader on an emotional journey through Jacki's traumatic childhood to her ultimate triumph and freedom from the devastating affects of abuse. In January 1995 Jacki Rodikis was taken into a clinic and finally began to get the help she needed for problems she thought could be suppressed, that only she could know about and that, unaddressed, mig... , http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/3EA5C6ACEF21DF24802576E2003C0469?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/3EA5C6ACEF21DF24802576E2003C0469 Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:55:32 GMT International news Scribbling down a poem to express her feelings ultimately leads Jacki Rodikis to the publishing of Because you're a woman, an autobiography that takes the reader on an emotional journey through Jacki's traumatic childhood to her ultimate triumph and freedom from the devastating affects of abuse. In January 1995 Jacki Rodikis was taken into a clinic and finally began to get the help she needed for problems she thought could be suppressed, that only she could know about and that, unaddressed, mig... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/777C7B759FA65D92802576E10033863F?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/777C7B759FA65D92802576E10033863F Tue, 9 Mar 2010 09:22:47 GMT UK news Today (Tuesday 9 March) the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) is writing to over 150 organisations to warn of concerns that unlawful umbilical cord blood collection may compromise safety and quality standards. This follows a number of incidents where parents collected cord blood unlawfully, and other cases where medical staff felt pressured to collect cord blood unlawfully without specialist training. Since 5 July 2008, cord blood can only be collected under an HTA licence by suitably trained staf... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/7050424FF1E23E6C802576E100317853?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/7050424FF1E23E6C802576E100317853 Tue, 9 Mar 2010 09:00:20 GMT UK news The RCM's General Secretary Cathy Warwick will meet with local midwives, mothers, neonatal nurses and Karen Jennings, a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, today to celebrate Mother's Day on March 14th and highlight threats to local maternity services in Hornsey and Wood Green. This is the first of many meetings Professor Warwick and the RCM will have with prospective parliamentary candidates from all major political parties before the general election regarding maternity care issues. The m... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/5108B2D8964FCCD4802576DB0052B3E6?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/5108B2D8964FCCD4802576DB0052B3E6 Wed, 3 Mar 2010 15:03:20 GMT International news The International Confederation of Midwives 29th Triennial Congress will be held 19 - 23 June 2011 in Durban. A call for abstracts has been made: "Midwives throughout the world are invited to take-up an invitation to speak at the South Africa ICM Congress in June 2011. For those who want to present their ideas, their challenges or their research on all aspects of midwifery, now is the time to prepare an abstract submission of up to 300 words by 17 May 2010." For further details please go to th... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/B88A2CF3306D442D802576DB0050A4DD?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/B88A2CF3306D442D802576DB0050A4DD Wed, 3 Mar 2010 14:40:50 GMT UK news Leading maternity and health organisations and hundreds of campaigners are to march on Downing Street in a rally, Reclaiming Birth, to petition for five star maternity services this weekend. NCT, Independent Midwives UK (IM UK), Association of Radical Midwives (ARM), Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services (AIMS), Albany Mums Support Group and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) will be calling for improved maternity care for all. Many women and their partners are left alone in... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/D7B5C945F773463C802576DB004D4D0F?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/D7B5C945F773463C802576DB004D4D0F Wed, 3 Mar 2010 14:04:19 GMT UK news Prime Minister's Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England sets out the way forward for the future of the professions. Nurses and midwives must renew their pledge to society to deliver high quality, compassionate care – and must be better supported to do so by their employers, according to a new report on the future of nursing and midwifery in England published today. The Prime Minister's Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England believes that a strong sta... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/A1D3CCB70F5A0AAB802576DB003374FB?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/A1D3CCB70F5A0AAB802576DB003374FB Wed, 3 Mar 2010 09:22:02 GMT UK news Commenting on the publication today (Tuesday, 2nd February 2010) of the Prime Minister's Commission into Nursing and Midwifery – 'Front Line Care', Cathy Warwick, General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said: ”The report emphasises the vital role nurses and midwives play in delivering high quality care. It also endorses the direction of current policy for maternity services, and the thinking in other recent publications addressing the future of midwifery. It also supports the work ... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/FDCE82CAECFA5A4B802576DA004339A2?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/FDCE82CAECFA5A4B802576DA004339A2 Tue, 2 Mar 2010 12:14:16 GMT MIDIRS news Essentially MIDIRS, a new, independent, monthly publication for maternity health care professionals and students is due to be launched on 1st June 2010. Published by leading UK maternity charity, MIDIRS, and edited by well known midwife, author, teacher and researcher, Sara Wickham, Essentially MIDIRS looks set to become a serious consideration for those searching for an evidence-based information learning resource to support them in their practice and studies. The new 54 page colour journal ... , http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/FDCE82CAECFA5A4B802576DA004339A2?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/FDCE82CAECFA5A4B802576DA004339A2 Tue, 2 Mar 2010 12:14:16 GMT UK news Essentially MIDIRS, a new, independent, monthly publication for maternity health care professionals and students is due to be launched on 1st June 2010. Published by leading UK maternity charity, MIDIRS, and edited by well known midwife, author, teacher and researcher, Sara Wickham, Essentially MIDIRS looks set to become a serious consideration for those searching for an evidence-based information learning resource to support them in their practice and studies. The new 54 page colour journal ... , http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/FDCE82CAECFA5A4B802576DA004339A2?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/FDCE82CAECFA5A4B802576DA004339A2 Tue, 2 Mar 2010 12:14:16 GMT International news Essentially MIDIRS, a new, independent, monthly publication for maternity health care professionals and students is due to be launched on 1st June 2010. Published by leading UK maternity charity, MIDIRS, and edited by well known midwife, author, teacher and researcher, Sara Wickham, Essentially MIDIRS looks set to become a serious consideration for those searching for an evidence-based information learning resource to support them in their practice and studies. The new 54 page colour journal ... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/B0A232EED755536D802576D900338BA9?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/B0A232EED755536D802576D900338BA9 Mon, 1 Mar 2010 09:23:00 GMT UK news A device which allows vital heart readings to be taken from very small babies has been developed by doctors at a North East hospital. The device helps doctors to position neonatal intravenous catheters in premature babies using ECG recordings. Developed by the Regional Medical Physics Department and the Special Care Baby Unit at The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the new neonatal device named 'Safe Place' aims to increase the accuracy and reliability of positioning the ... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/D6E38F9DFC15DFC9802576D900318BB1?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/D6E38F9DFC15DFC9802576D900318BB1 Mon, 1 Mar 2010 09:01:10 GMT UK news The Royal College of Midwives has supported Deborah Purdue via the high court and more recently at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). We are pleased that the NMC has re-considered the case of Deborah Purdue. She has admitted making mistakes and some sanctions are warranted, but we felt that the previous decision to strike her off the register was unjustified and unduly harsh. Today's decision to impose twelve months conditions of practice within the NHS is more appropriate. Deborah can n... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/96252BB215C60085802576D4004095E7?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/96252BB215C60085802576D4004095E7 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:45:26 GMT UK news New guidance published today (24 February) by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) aims to reinforce the safety of donor breast milk by making recommendations to maintain high standards of practice in specialist milk banks in the UK. New mothers can choose to donate their breast milk to a dedicated milk bank. It can then be used by hospitals that request it. This practice has been taking place for over one hundred years but some healthcare professionals are still uns... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/E77F0A01EBB34250802576D400319D6D?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/E77F0A01EBB34250802576D400319D6D Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:01:55 GMT UK news The NHS Security Management Service (SMS) welcomes the positive revisions to the sixth edition of the Code for Crown Prosecutors, which underscore the public interest in prosecuting all those who attack health workers. Issued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), The Code gives guidance to prosecutors on the general principles to be applied when making decisions about prosecutions. Previously, the Code gave limited specific examples of victims of offences who “served the public” – citing the ... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/4A9433AF4AD85240802576D3003EBF96?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/4A9433AF4AD85240802576D3003EBF96 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:25:22 GMT UK news The Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery at King's College London is partnering with Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to recruit an inaugural joint Professor of Midwifery. The joint appointment will add strength to the current excellent maternity service for women who choose to have their baby at Chelsea and Westminster, undertaking research, audit and teaching to help promote midwifery-led care across London. Vivien Bell, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/6C916FAFBE5E1A47802576D3003E247E?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/6C916FAFBE5E1A47802576D3003E247E Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:18:45 GMT International news More research and attention are urgently needed to understand and reduce the incidence of preterm births and stillbirths worldwide, according to experts from the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS). Writing in the open access journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, the authors call for greater improvements to research and the development of interventions to reduce tragic pregnancy outcomes. Preterm births and stillbirths continue to have a global impact, even in high-inco... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/6DF03B6494FD7758802576D30039F374?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/6DF03B6494FD7758802576D30039F374 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:32:58 GMT UK news Hit the Ground Crawling (HTGC) is a groundbreaking antenatal peer support programme for expectant and new fathers, launched in the UK by the Fatherhood Institute in 2008. It can be run by trained midwives, health visitors or Children's Centre staff, and gives groups of dads-to-be the opportunity to learn childcare skills from new fathers and their babies. HTGC is up-and-running in 15 English local authorities (and one in Wales) and the new independent evaluation of the pilot programme in Staffo... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/8D32433226C686F9802576D20049C2E7?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/8D32433226C686F9802576D20049C2E7 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:25:40 GMT UK news A six minute long animation made as a celebration of midwifery won the animated short film category for director Emma Lazenby at the Baftas last night. The film, Mother of Many, combines recordings of real childbirth and fetal heartbeats with various animation techniques and was inspired by the director's mother who was a midwife for more than 25 years. Emma's mother and the film's producer, Sally Arthur, watched Emma collect the award for the film, which beat The Gruffalo and The Happy Duckli... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/68B25361EB0CB3E5802576D20038D8E7?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/68B25361EB0CB3E5802576D20038D8E7 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:20:55 GMT UK news The RCM's UK Board for Wales will host its annual St. David's Day Conference for midwives, student midwives and other professionals working in mental health on Feb. 25. This year's theme is perinatal mental health, mental health issues during and after pregnancy. More than 200 midwives have registered to attend the conference at the SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff. RCM's Director for Wales Helen Rogers said: “We have a raft of excellent speakers and innovative leaders in the field from the UK and abro... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/F13D4265E52672E7802576D2003516B1?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/F13D4265E52672E7802576D2003516B1 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:39:52 GMT International news According to the World Health Organization, 1,500 women die from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth every single day. Most of these deaths are avoidable. “Most births around the world lead to preventable traumas for the mother and baby,” says Jan Tritten, founding editor of Midwifery Today magazine. “We call such traumas preventable because many of them are iatrogenic, caused by unnecessary and scientifically unjustifiable interventions performed by hospital staff who do not unde... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/8082409C98026AED802576CF00359BD1?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/8082409C98026AED802576CF00359BD1 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:45:32 GMT MIDIRS Independent Midwives UK have organised a march to Whitehall on Sunday 7th March 2010 to deliver a petition to the Health Minister and letters to the Prime Minister on the state of the maternity services. 1pm Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, Lambeth Road, London SE1 4EQ (next to the Imperial War Museum) MASTER OF CEREMONIES: Peter Duncan. SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Prof Wendy Savage, Beverley Beech - AIMS Chairwoman, Becky Reed - Albany Midwife, Annie Francis - from IM-UK, Belinda Phipps - CEO NCT, Emma... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/D396A2ED5B25CB41802576CE004C1FC9?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/D396A2ED5B25CB41802576CE004C1FC9 Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:51:28 GMT UK news The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently developing new public health guidance on dietary and physical activity interventions for weight management in pregnancy and after childbirth. Draft recommendations have been published on the NICE website today (18 February) for public consultation. The aim of this new guidance is to help health professionals support women who are pregnant or who are planning a pregnancy and mothers who have had a baby in the last 2 y... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/C37BD0D85A85DBAF802576CD0035A513?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/C37BD0D85A85DBAF802576CD0035A513 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:45:56 GMT UK news "The Albany Midwifery Practice in Peckham, South London, provided a caseload midwifery model of care for around 200 women per year for the past 12 years, operating in the community as a self-employed, self-managed partnership under contract to King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Peckham is the 14th most deprived district out of 354 districts in England. The Albany has given genuine choice to the women whom it served about place of birth and provided continuity of carer throughout preg... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/D4E987ED39F59CF8802576CC0046C48A?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/D4E987ED39F59CF8802576CC0046C48A Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:52:58 GMT UK news The NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme (NIPE) today (Thursday 11th February) announces the Royal Free Hospital in London as going live with a trial to improve the processes and service delivery of the physical examination of newborn babies. It is the third of three sites taking part in this feasibility study, the others being Warrington Hospital and Newcastle Royal Infirmary. The NIPE Programme was established to facilitate early identification, diagnosis and treatment of ch... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/4DFCC6356B261388802576CC003E681A?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/4DFCC6356B261388802576CC003E681A Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:21:38 GMT UK news The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is developing guidance to help the NHS provide better and more effective antenatal services for pregnant women faced with difficult social circumstances. As part of this process, the draft version of the guideline, which contains recommendations for healthcare professionals, has been published on the NICE website and is now available for public consultation. The guideline, which is being developed in collaboration with the Social ... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/A6EBE1246CC0D694802576C80033B92B?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/A6EBE1246CC0D694802576C80033B92B Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:24:57 GMT UK news In December 2009 Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, launched a campaign to ensure that bereaved parents continue to be offered choice about seeing and holding their baby after death. The need for a campaign arose because current guidance issued by NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) to midwifery units and to bereaved parents on seeing and holding a baby after he or she has died may be open to misinterpretation. Sands is concerned that the recommendation t... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/881D58150E6B4B5F802576C70045D465?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/881D58150E6B4B5F802576C70045D465 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:42:43 GMT International news ILCA is pleased to announce a 25th Anniversary Essay Contest on the topic, “How IBCLCs Make a Difference” in honor of the 25th anniversary of the profession! This is your opportunity to share your thoughts about how your credential has impacted your work in service to mothers and babies. The contest is sponsored by the 25th Anniversary Task Force, and is open to any IBCLC with current, non-expired IBLCE certification. You do not need to be an ILCA member to participate. Essays should be limited... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/D48635DEDE7A4EDA802576C700455D2E?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/D48635DEDE7A4EDA802576C700455D2E Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:37:38 GMT UK news Health Secretary welcomes goals for the next decade. A major report on tackling health inequalities for the next 10 years and beyond was welcomed today by the Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham. Professor Sir Michael Marmot of University College London was asked by the Government to provide a clear set of short, medium, and long term objectives to inform how health inequalities can be dramatically reduced. The report “Fair Society, Healthy Lives” is a thorough and comprehensive analy... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/AFDF2467C42B3E23802576C70044AF72?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/AFDF2467C42B3E23802576C70044AF72 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:30:13 GMT UK news Professor Mike Kelly, Director, Public Health Excellence Centre, NICE: “Since 2005, NICE has produced guidance on a range of public health topics using the social gradient approach as a starting point. We have either published, or are in the process of developing, public health guidance covering all the six key areas highlighted by this review. “Our guidance aims to improve the health of the population as a whole and to reduce health inequalities. The interventions we recommend are highly cost... http://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/z45/2CACE10ED949D474802576C600395471?opendocumenthttp://www.midirs.org/development/midwiferyweb.nsf/link/2CACE10ED949D474802576C600395471 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:26:11 GMT UK news Baby Milk Action is relieved that product placement of junk foods, infant formula and follow-on formula will not be permitted on UK made TV programmes, but is disappointed that baby feeding equipment, such as bottles and teats and other products could be allowed. The written statement by Ben Bradshaw, the Culture Minister (1) lists the products (which are in addition to tobacco and prescription medicines) that will not be allowed: alcoholic drinks; foods and drinks high in fat, salt ...