Midwife (degree) (level 6) is available for new starts until 11 Jan 2024.

Apprenticeship training course

Midwife (degree) (level 6)

Giving the necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period.

• Qualification level: 6 ; Equivalent to degree.
• Typical duration: 48 months
• Apprenticeship category: Health and science
• Maximum funding: £26,000 ; Maximum amount government will fund ; for apprenticeship training.
• Skills:
  Skills an apprentice will learn

  • Practise in accordance with legislation, standards and code of conduct to support the woman, her partner and family through the pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal period
  • Act as an advocate for the woman
  • Consult with and refer to colleagues when care requires expertise beyond own competence or when the woman or baby’s needs falls outside the scope of midwifery practice
  • Identify, respond to and report any unsafe practice
  • Take responsibility and accountability for own practice as a midwife, reviewing, developing and enhancing knowledge, skills and maintaining your fitness to practice
  • Manage and prioritise competing demands
  • Create and maintain a healthy and safe environment, preventing and controlling infection and promoting health and wellbeing
  • Communicate in ways that are sensitive and appropriate, taking into account emotional, psychological, cognitive, language, social and other circumstances, checking you have been understood
  • Use interpersonal skills to build rapport with the woman, her partner and family
  • Facilitate informed decision making
  • Handle issues or complaints in line with national and local process and procedure
  • Undertake the initial consultation with the woman
  • Use a range of techniques to assess the physical, social and psychological needs of the woman
  • Give information surrounding options for screening and overall health and wellbeing
  • Work in partnership with woman to develop plans that are appropriate to the needs, contexts, culture and choices of the woman, her baby and family
  • Enable and empower the woman to consider plans for pre-pregnancy, pregnancy care, birth, place of birth, plans for feeding babies, needs for postnatal support and preparation for parenthood
  • Enable and empower the woman to think about their own health and that of their baby, partner and family and how this can be improved
  • Consider best available evidence and modify programmes of care to improve outcomes for the woman and her baby
  • Contribute to enhancing the health and social wellbeing of individuals and their communities
  • Contribute to audit in order to optimise the care of the woman, her baby and family as required
  • Act as lead carer in normal pregnancies supporting the woman
  • Carry out physiological measurement, psychological assessment and screening tests and refer the woman as appropriate
  • Contribute to providing support to the woman when her pregnancy is complex or if she has suffered pregnancy loss
  • Make critical decisions in partnership with the woman, her partner and family to support the appropriate referral of a woman or baby to other health professionals or agencies when required
  • Discuss and negotiate with other professionals about further interventions as appropriate
  • Use appropriate clinical and technical means to monitor the condition of the woman and the fetus to optimise birth outcomes
  • Facilitate the comfort of the woman during labour and birth
  • Promote trust with the mother and birthing partner to facilitate a positive birth experience
  • Care for the woman and the baby once she has given birth including assessing for risk indicators
  • Undertake appropriate emergency procedures to meet the health needs of the woman, fetus or baby
  • Raise concerns immediately in the event of an emergency
  • Prepare for and manage risks
  • Care for a woman in the postnatal period, facilitating her to manage her physical and psychological wellbeing and transition to motherhood
  • Care for a woman who is recovering following birth including post-operative care for those who have caesarean or assisted births
  • Support and advise the woman on parenting, relationship building, feeding and caring for her baby
  • Facilitate discussions about resuming intercourse and future reproductive choices
  • Care for a woman, her partner and family who are bereaved following pregnancy loss or death of a baby
  • Examine and care for babies immediately following birth, confirming vital signs and carrying out an assessment and physical examination
  • Screen babies and refer as required
  • Undertake continuing assessments and care for babies
  • Escalate and report safeguarding issues as required
  • Administer and manage medication and pain relief to the woman and baby safely, calculating accurately and in line with legislation and the limits of your competence and role
  • Complete, store and retain accurate and contemporaneous records, in line with legislation and best practice
  • Act as a role model for the profession to colleagues, enabling them to reflect on and develop their practice
  • Delegate tasks and duties appropriately
  • Work across professional boundaries, developing professional networks
  • Supervise or monitor the work of other members of the team

Full information on Midwife (degree) (level 6) is available from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

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Regulated occupation

Midwife (degree) (level 6) needs a training provider who is approved by Nursing and Midwifery Council.

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