Support for parents - How supervision and supervisors of Midwives can help you
Supervisors of Midwives give guidance and support to both Midwives and you to ensure that the care offered is right for you, is given in the right place, by the right person and that it will benefit you and your baby.
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has a robust structure of SOMs, covering all of our service area. For further details please contact mollie.winter@gwh.nhs.uk for details of your SOM.
The South West, South Central and South East Coast Strategic Health Authorities hold the statutory responsibilities as the Local Supervising Authority (LSA) across the NHS South of England region. The Local Supervising Authority (LSA) must ensure that statutory supervision of Midwives within the region is of a satisfactory standard and ensure midwifery practice is safe within its boundaries. This includes all Midwives practising in the region, irrespective of their employer.
The three strategic health authorities that cover the NHS South of England region discharge their responsibility through the appointment of the Local Supervisory Midwifery Officer (LSA Midwifery Officer). The LSA Midwifery Officer is professionally accountable to the Nursing and Midwifery Council for the UK (NMC).
The Local Supervising Authority Midwifery Officers for the NHS South of England region are:
National guidelines for supervisors of midwives can be found here: www.lsamoforumuk.scot.nhs.uk
Guidelines are produced by the LSAMO Forum UK to ensure the equality of supervision across the UK and these guidelines are held centrally for anyone to access. If you cannot find a guideline please contact the LSAMO or the LSA offices.
The role of the Local Supervisory Midwifery Officer (LSA Midwifery Officer)
The Midwives Rules and Standards (2004) govern the framework in which Midwives and Supervisors of Midwives meet the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001. Articles 42 and 43 of this Order describe the NMC rules for the regulation of Midwifery, describing the role of supervision and the LSA Midwifery Officer. Responsibilities of the LSA Midwifery Officer include: