Collective Leadership Framework and Midwifery Support Worker standards published
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has published a new framework aimed at growing leadership capabilities at every level of the nursing and midwifery workforce.
The vision behind the Collective Leadership Framework is to ensure acts of leadership from all staff are recognised and valued, regardless of hierarchy, experience, location, discipline or level.
As our health and social care system continues to face unprecedented pressures and challenges, the Framework will accelerate the development of a collective leadership culture to help meet these demands, now and into the future, while also ensuring patient safety.
Minister Nesbitt said: “The Collective Leadership Framework for Nursing and Midwifery marks a truly positive step forward in how we support and develop our nursing and midwifery workforce.
“This Framework is designed to empower individuals at every level, providing the guidance and tools necessary to foster collaborative and effective leadership across all settings. It underpins the notion that transformation is not an isolated effort of a few individuals; rather, it is a collective endeavour that requires engagement, dialogue, and responsibility from all members of our teams.”
The document was unveiled by the Minister at this year’s Chief Nursing Officer Conference in the La Mon Hotel, Belfast, the theme of which was Transformation and Safety Culture.
It was attended by more than 200 people including staff from across health and social care and the independent sector, as well as students and educators.
The Collective Leadership Framework, produced in collaboration with the Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council (NIPEC), aims to make collective leadership more relevant to nursing and midwifery workforce processes at all levels.
The Framework emphasises that acts of leadership can and should come from anyone within an organisation.
At the conference, Minister Nesbitt also launched new Standards for Maternity Support Workers (MSW), which outline the role, conduct and behaviours required of MSWs. A Maternity Support Worker is someone who undertakes delegated aspects of midwifery care and is supervised by a registered midwife.
The Standards, developed in partnership with NIPEC and the HSC Trusts, help MSWs fulfil the requirements of the role, and identify the learning and development to be undertaken to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours.
Minister Nesbitt added: “Both of these publications emphasise our collective commitment to transformation, and the creation of the right conditions to ensure a robust safety culture can thrive in health and social care. They also demonstrate our continued efforts to ensure our health and social care workforce have the right knowledge, skills and values to carry out their roles.”
Chief Nursing Officer Maria McIlgorm said: “We already have evidence of the high quality and compassionate care that nursing and midwifery practice brings to those who use our services. Both of these documents will help foster a culture where leadership is visible, learning is continuous, our workforce is empowered, and where safety is the fabric of all that we do and in enhancing the care that we provide.
“I firmly believe that the Collective Leadership Framework will have a valuable impact in supporting and further developing capabilities and building collective leadership capacity among nurses and midwives working in both informal and formal leadership roles.
“I am also delighted that the Standards for Maternity Support Workers have been formally launched, and I wish to extend my thanks to the steering group that completed this important piece of work.”
Chief Midwifery Officer Caroline Keown said: “These standards are very welcome. I wish to thank all our Maternity Support Workers who are working as part of the maternity team ensuring that women, babies and their families experience care tailored to their individual needs.”
