Education Today Education Today Magazine
The mental wellbeing of women throughout their pregnancy and beyond is at the heart of a multi-million-pound centre – educating the next generation
of midwives.
The University of Sunderland will welcome its first students to the new Midwifery Suite in September, which further enhances Sunderland’s range of healthcare programmes now provided on campus, from medicine, healthcare sciences, paramedic practice and nursing to physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
Responding to a national shortage of full-time midwives in the NHS, successful completion of the BSc (Hons) Midwifery Practice three-year undergraduate degree, graduating students will be able to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and practice as a midwife. The programme has also been designed to address challenges specifically around perinatal mental health. With increasing knowledge of mental health and emotional wellbeing in relation to pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period, the programme recognises that this is of growing importance to maternity care and the emotional and social wellbeing in babies and toddlers. Perinatal mental illness is a major public health issue that can have a devastating impact on women and their families, resulting in conditions such as depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Sue Brent, Head of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, said: “We are delighted about this new development which will help improve the quality of health and life for women throughout their pregnancy. “The programme focuses not only on the physical health of the mother and new-born but also the mental health of the mother before, during and after birth. It will provide a unique opportunity for students to understand the challenges faced by midwives regarding mental health, therefore building a greater understanding and ability to support the patient in the workforce. “Midwives with a greater perinatal mental health knowledge produced through this programme can bring people together to improve the quality, consistency, and co-ordination of care. They can help to ensure that vital information about women and their families is shared effectively and that women with mental illnesses receive high-quality coordinated support. Acting as the ‘glue’ within the integrated care community to pull necessary services together.”
https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/study/nursing/midwifery-practice/
