Cardiff University launches programme to strengthen maternity care across Wales

Midwives and maternity practitioners across Wales will soon have access to specialist training designed to strengthen care for women with complex pregnancies and improve outcomes for mothers and babies.

Cardiff University's School of Healthcare Sciences has developed a new postgraduate module in Enhanced Maternity Care, launching in January 2027. The fully online programme will equip midwives and maternity practitioners with the enhanced knowledge, skills and confidence required to deliver safe and effective care in increasingly complex maternity settings.

Its development follows the successful award of the Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) Enhanced Midwifery Care tender to the School of Healthcare Sciences.

The module combines synchronous and asynchronous learning, enabling practitioners to balance professional commitments alongside postgraduate study. Key areas of focus include maternal deterioration, critical care, clinical decision-making, leadership, multidisciplinary working, cultural competence and evidence-based practice.

The module aims to strengthen learners’ ability to manage high-risk and rapidly evolving maternity situations while developing enhanced clinical reasoning and decision-making capabilities. It has been designed to meet workforce development needs and support the delivery of high-quality maternity care across Wales and beyond.

Enhanced Maternity Care will be facilitated by Sian McLaughlin, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery, and Dr Lucie Warren, Lead Midwife for Education. Together, they bring extensive expertise in midwifery education, clinical practice and professional leadership, ensuring students benefit from evidence-based teaching and current professional perspectives.

The successful development of the module was made possible through collaboration with clinical partners, maternity care practitioners and midwifery academics, helping to ensure the programme is both evidence-based and responsive to the needs of the maternity workforce.

Looking ahead, the module will strengthen Cardiff University’s postgraduate healthcare education portfolio while providing flexible professional development opportunities for maternity practitioners across Wales, the wider UK and internationally. By supporting the development of expertise in complex maternity care, it aims to contribute to improved patient safety, enhanced clinical outcomes and workforce development across maternity services.

Read more about HCT402 Enhanced Maternity Care.