THE Royal College of Midwives has announced the establishment of its second RCM chair of midwifery in the UK. The chair will be held by Professor Helen Cheyne of the University of Stirling.
The first RCM chair of Midwifery was announced in 2011 at Cardiff University.
Gillian Smith, the RCM’s director for Scotland, said: “We are delighted to host the second RCM chair of midwifery in Scotland. It is a unique opportunity for Scotland to showcase the excellent research into midwife-led care being done here.”
The new post will be based at the University’s Nursing Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit (a Scottish Government Chief Scientist’s Office funded research unit), where Helen currently leads research in maternal and child health and health care decision-making.
Professor Helen Cheyne said: “I am delighted and honoured to be named as the second RCM Professor of Midwifery. The RCM promotes the wellbeing of mothers and babies through supporting midwives to provide the highest quality of evidence informed care. Working in partnership with the RCM I will support development of research relevant to midwifery practice and the wellbeing of women, as well as the timely implementation of research findings into clinical practice.”
Helen is well known to the RCM, who have collaborated with her and the unit on a number of significant pieces of research.
“Her appointment as RCM chair of midwifery will enhance an already strong relationship with the University of Stirling and the RCM”, added Mrs Smith.
Helen’s research is primarily concerned with decision making in labour as well as maternity service delivery. Working closely with practicing midwives and mothers is a key aspect of all of her research. She is currently leading the Scottish national maternity care survey in partnership with the Scottish Government Patient Experience Programme.
The Royal College of Midwives’ general secretary and chief executive, Cathy Warwick, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the RCM now has its second chair of midwifery in the UK. The RCM has a well-developed strategy for promoting midwifery-led research. Our chairs of midwifery posts are integral to achieving this strategy and we look forward very much to working closely with Professor Cheyne and the University of Stirling.”
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For more information contact the RCM Press Office on 020 7312 3456, or email: pressofficer@rcm.org.uk
Notes to editors
RCM
The Royal College of Midwives is the voice of midwifery. They are the UK’s only trade union and professional organisation led by midwives for midwives. The vast majority of the midwifery profession are members. The RCM promotes midwifery, quality maternity services and professional standards. For more information visit the RCM website at www.rcm.org.uk.
Professor Helen Cheyne
Helen is a Professor in the Nursing Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, one of the Scottish Government, Chief Scientist’s funded research units, based at University of Stirling where she leads research in maternal and child health and health care decision making.
Helen began her career as a nurse in Glasgow before training as a midwife in Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital in 1980, going on to work as a midwife in Glasgow and in a rural maternity unit in the north of Scotland.
Helen’s research is primarily concerned with decision making in labour as well as maternity service delivery. Working closely with practicing midwives and mothers is a key aspect of all of her research. She is currently leading the Scottish national maternity care survey in partnership with the Scottish Government Patient Experience Programme. She is a founding member of the International Early Labour Research Group which brings together researchers across the UK, Germany Australia and Canada.
Helen has published widely and advises the Scottish Government on matters relating to maternity research. She is Chair of the Iolanthe Midwifery Trust.
University of Stirling
The University of Stirling aims to be at the forefront of research and learning that helps to improve lives. Working with academic, commercial, public, private and voluntary sector partners, Stirling is one of the UK’s leading research universities in the fields of health and wellbeing, the environment and people, culture and society, enterprise and the economy, and sport.
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Contact: Lesley Wilkinson
Phone: 01786466203
Email: pr@stir.ac.uk
Website: http://www.stir.ac.uk
