I ought to be much better at blogging by now, and what is more, if I can blog regularly even when completing a demanding masters course then I am not sure anything I do now is much of an excuse. Having said that, I do still have things to say, and amazingly more people have been reading particular posts even though I haven’t had much to add lately.

So onwards and upwards. I’ll try to be a better blogger (honestly I will). So what is new in the world of the NHS and also what is new in the world of Julie whose life is spent working in the NHS? This week at work has been particularly interesting on the work front. On Tuesday I attended the launch of a new strategy for midwifery supervision. This has led me to think about the difference in the accountability process for midwives against that of those of us who are nurses in the UK. Supervision of midwives is statutory and is considered pivotal in safeguarding and enhancing the quality of midwifery care provided to women and babies. In nursing, supervision is more of a desirable thing, it also adds to the practice of nursing, but there is no statutory duty for supervision. What is more, a supervisor of midwives is required to sign off the annual notification to practise of individual midwives. Nurses require only to sign off their own notification and to say that they themselves are fit to practice. A supervisor of midwives is an experienced practicing midwife who has undertaken a post graduate course, she (not being sexist but most will be women) will have self selected or been nominated but have gone thorough a process of selection by the local supervisory authority who in turn are accountable to the Strategic Health Authority and then the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Some of the roles of the supervisor include:

• Providing supervision to approximately 15 midwives
• Signing off notification of intention to practise
• Providing guidance on maintaining registration and updating opportunities
• Investigate incidents
• Report to local Supervisory Authority where there is a professional conduct issues
• Be available to support midwives in discussing practice issues
• Provide 24 hour supervisory cover
• Arrange annual review meetings with midwives
• Engage and communicate with stakeholders
• Provide midwifery leadership
• Participate in audit
• Maintain records of supervisory activities

I understand why supervision of midwives is important, and I also understand the increased risks associated with their practice over those of many nurses, but what I don’t understand fully is why there is nothing like it for any nurses at all in the UK. I’d welcome comments from other nurses on this one.