Supervisors of Midwives
Who are supervisors of midwives?
They are experienced practising midwives who have undertaken additional training. They work within a team of supervisors and are employed within the hospital or community or outside the NHS.
What do supervisors do?
They aim to ensure that you receive guidance and information about the right type of care for you, in the right place, by the right professional. They also strive to set a good example to midwives, guiding and supporting them to help them to develop their skills and expertise. Supervisors monitor the practice of midwives to ensure that you and your baby receive good quality, safe care.
Midwives should support you through your maternity care - if issues arise you and/or your midwife may contact a Supervisor of Midwives.
For more information you can download the NMC supervision of midwives factsheet.
How can supervisors of midwives help you?
- Listen to any concerns you may have about your maternity care.
- Support you and your midwife to plan your pregnancy care and plan for the birth of you baby.
- Discuss with you the most appropriate choices for you and your baby.
- Help to resolve disagreements about your maternity care in an unbiased and impartial manner.
- Debrief you if you are unhappy with your birth outcome or treatment. If you have had a traumatic birth, a supervisor can go through your notes and discuss your experiences with you.
For more information, please see the Nursing and Midwifery Council`s leaflet; Supervisors of Midwives: How they can help you
The role of a Supervisor of Midwives
Supervision of midwives is a legal professional requirement, which has been in existence since 1902.
All midwives, wherever they work, meet regularly with a Supervisor of Midwives. They should develop a good working relationship with their supervisor, in order to enhance the standard of care provided for mothers and babies. Supervisors must have the courage to challenge inferior practice and the enthusiasm to innovate change; in order to maintain good standards of midwifery and protect the public.
Within the NHS the role of the Supervisor of Midwives is complementary to but different from the role of the midwifery manager. Managers are responsible to the Trust to ensure that maternity services are run effectively within the resource allocation. Supervisors are accountable to the LSA, and the role is solely about standards of midwifery care and safety of mothers and babies.
Discussing your concerns with a Supervisor of Midwives does not prevent you from accessing the formal complaints procedure within Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.
What is the Local Supervising Authority (LSA)
The Local Supervising Authority (LSA) are part of the Strategic Health Authoritiy who appoint a Midwifery Office to oversee supervision of midwives in their area. For more information about the LSA, click here.
Who is the LSA Midwifery Officer?
In England, 11 practising midwives carry out the role of LSA Midwifery Officer to ensure that supervision of midwives is carried out to a satisfactory standard for all midwives practising within their geographical boundaries.
The North West LSA covers Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside and the Isle of Man.
LSA Midwifery Officers have a professional leadership role which enables them in an impartial way, to provide expert advice on professional matters.
Dee Davies/Denise King, LSA Midwifery Officers
NHS England
Regional Team
Enterprise House, Shap Road, Kendal, LA9 5EA
Tel: 01539 777312
Other Useful Contacts
Christina McKenzie, Head of Midwifery
Nursing & Midwifery Council
23 Portland Place
London
W1B 1PZ
Tel: 020 7637 7181
Elayne Guest
The Association for Supervisors of Midwives
James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust
Lowestoft Road
Great Yarmouth
NR31 6LA
Tel: 01493 452269
Royal College of Midwives
Policy & Practice Development Department
15 Mansfield Street
London
W1G 9NH
Tel: 020 7312 3535
Independent Midwives Association
1 The Great Quarry
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 3XN
Tel: 01483 821104
How can the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust Supervisors be contacted?
A Supervisor of Midwives should always be available via your local maternity unit. For Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, telephone our main switchboard on 0161 483 1010 and ask to speak to a Supervisor of Midwives.
If you have problems contacting a supervisor please let the LSA office know.
You can also contact the LSA office for further information about supervision or with any complaints or concerns about a Supervisor of Midwives or standards of supervision.