Midwives have to follow very strict and stringent health and safety guidelines as they are exposed to a variety of risks and also deal with newborns that are at the highest risk of infections and illnesses if conditions are not sterilised.
The increasing HIV prevalence rate among pregnant women (Unlinked Anonymous Surveys Steering Group, 1998) serves as a warning to midwives regarding the need to protect themselves against occupational infection.
Midwives working in high prevalence areas such as London are particularly at risk. The Department of Health (DoH) has recently produced guidelines for healthcare workers in relation to blood-borne viruses. These guidelines include recommendations which will enable midwives to reduce their risk of occupational infection to a minimum through the use of risk reduction strategies in practice and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
Midwives in the UK undergo the most rigorous and thorough training in the world. Once qualified, midwives are accountable for their practice and subjected to an in-depth system of practice scrutiny. Each midwife has regular supervisory input which ensures that skills are updated,
Many midwives training courses are registered with The Care Quality Commission (CQC); this means regular inspection for compliance to health and safety, hygiene, fire and infection control regulations. All of these safeguards are essential as they protect the interests of every woman they care for and every midwife who is employed at such a centre.
The increasing HIV prevalence rate among pregnant women (Unlinked Anonymous Surveys Steering Group, 1998) serves as a warning to midwives regarding the need to protect themselves against occupational infection.
Midwives working in high prevalence areas such as London are particularly at risk. The Department of Health (DoH) has recently produced guidelines for healthcare workers in relation to blood-borne viruses. These guidelines include recommendations which will enable midwives to reduce their risk of occupational infection to a minimum through the use of risk reduction strategies in practice and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
Midwives in the UK undergo the most rigorous and thorough training in the world. Once qualified, midwives are accountable for their practice and subjected to an in-depth system of practice scrutiny. Each midwife has regular supervisory input which ensures that skills are updated,
Many midwives training courses are registered with The Care Quality Commission (CQC); this means regular inspection for compliance to health and safety, hygiene, fire and infection control regulations. All of these safeguards are essential as they protect the interests of every woman they care for and every midwife who is employed at such a centre.
