Accessibility statement

Professional & Legal Frameworks Regulating Midwifery Practice - HEA00026I

« Back to module search

  • Department: Health Sciences
  • Module co-ordinator: Ms. Helen Recchia
  • Credit value: 10 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
    • See module specification for other years: 2021-22

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
C Summer Term 2022-23

Module aims

To enable the student to identify and apply the appropriate professional and legal frameworks that regulate and inform accountable midwifery practice.

Module learning outcomes

This module will enable the student to:

  1. Revisit and examine the role and function of the Nursing and Midwifery Council in relation to the regulation of the midwifery profession.
  2. Identify and apply the current statutes and associated statutory instruments which govern and inform midwifery practice.
  3. Analyse professional and legal accountability in interdisciplinary provision of care and consider the English legal processes by which accountability is tested.
  4. Explore the concept of human rights in relation to the planning and delivery of contemporary midwifery care.
  5. Discuss previous and current roles which are in place to support midwives with professional issues (such as the Professional Midwifery Advocate), identifying how these roles can support midwives in practice.
  6. Identify ethical principles and discuss their application to midwifery practice.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled)
Viva		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled)
Viva		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Written feedback for summative assessment is provided on the standard proforma, within the timescale specified in the programme handbook.

Indicative reading

Dimond, B. (2013). The legal aspects of midwifery. 4th edn. London: Quay Books.

Foster, I. and Lasser, J. (2011) Professional Ethics in Midwifery Practice. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Gallagher, A. Hodge, S. (2012) Ethics, law and professional issues: a practice-based approach for health professionals. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Griffith, R. Tengnah, C. Patel, C. (2014) Law and Professional Issues in Nursing. 3rd edn. London: SAGE Publications.

Griffith, R. Tengnah, C. Patel, C. (2010) Law and Professional Issues in Midwifery. Exeter: Learning Matters.

Jenkins, R. and Jones, S. (2004). The law and the midwife. 2nd edn. Oxford: Blackwell.

Powell, C. (2016) Safeguarding and child protection for nurses, midwives and health visitors: a practical guide. 2nd edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Schiller, R. (2016). Why human rights in childbirth matter. London: Pinter & Martin Ltd.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.