NMC appoints Professor Mary Renfrew FRSE to lead development of new midwifery standards

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has appointed Professor Mary Renfrew FRSE to lead on the development of new standards of competence for the future graduate registered midwife.  Professor Renfrew is Associate Dean in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences in the University of Dundee, where she is Director of the Mother and Infant Research Unit. She also leads the Scottish Improvement Science Collaborating Centre.

Professor Renfrew joins the NMC with over 30 years’ experience in midwifery and maternity care. She has led work in research, undergraduate and postgraduate education, and evidence-based quality improvement. Her research has helped to shape policy and practice in midwifery and maternal and newborn care both nationally and internationally and she was Principal Investigator for the influential Lancet Series on Midwifery (2011-2016). Professor Renfrew was also an NMC Council member between 2009 and 2011.

NMC Chief Executive and Registrar Jackie Smith said:  “I am delighted that Professor Renfrew has agreed to lead on this important work. She brings with her a wealth of experience as a midwife, educator, and leading researcher and I have no doubt she is the right person to drive forward the development of these new standards.”

Professor Mary Renfrew said: “I look forward to working closely with colleagues and stakeholders to revisit the standards, to ensure that they are fit for the future and focussed on the needs and wishes of women, babies and families. I am very pleased to be able to bring my experience to this significant role.  Midwives play a pivotal role in our health and care provision, and it is essential that they are equipped with the necessary and up to date knowledge, skills, and attributes to continue to deliver high quality care in a rapidly changing environment.”

Early engagement and evidence building work is getting under way and drafting of new midwifery standards will begin in spring 2017, with a public consultation on the draft standards in spring 2018.

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Notes for editors

1.  For media enquiries, please contact NMC press office on 020 7681 5649 or email media@nmc-uk.org. ​

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent professional regulator for nurses and midwives in the UK. We exist to protect the public. We do this by maintaining the register of qualified nurses and midwives and setting standards of education, training, conduct and performance. We make sure that nurses and midwives keep their skills and knowledge up to date through a regular revalidation process. If concerns are raised about the standards of a registered nurse or midwife, we have a duty to investigate and, where necessary, take action to protect the public.