Understanding the Kirkup report
RCM believes it is important to keep this short i-learn module in the learning portfolio, as there are lessons to be learnt for everyone, years after the report was published. It is possible to become complacent and to believe that the “Kirkup report” was a one off and that it could not happen in your unit.
This module will provide background to the Kirkup report and its impact. It will signpost you to further reading and resources to help you reflect on the issues and enable you to provide better care to mothers and babies, improve your teamwork, and stand up for high standards in healthcare.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Identify some of the clinical, governance and management contributing factors to the poor care at the unit including staff isolation, defensive culture, dysfunctional teamwork and weak leadership
- Understand and appreciate the practice consequences and the links to poor outcomes
- Understand and appreciate how culture and environment can impact on outcomes
- Understand and appreciate how your own actions and attitudes can contribute to organisational culture
- Know what your professional responsibilities are in regards to candour, teamwork and whistleblowing
- Demonstrate how professional responsibilities lead to better clinical outcomes and experience for the mothers and babies you care for
- Demonstrate an ability to critically self-assess one’s practice.
This module will also allow you to reflect on what good midwifery care looks like across the themes of professionalism, communication, team work and honesty, allowing you to think about how best to celebrate and champion midwifery excellence.
Contains several videos of 30 seconds to 10 minutes duration.
Study time: 1 hour
Original content: November 2015
Full review: 2020
Next review: 2023
