The Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors (Midwives Amendment) Rules Approval Order 1998

• Citation: S.I. 1998/2649
• Sections: 2

Section 1 Citation and Interpretation

(1) These rules may be cited as the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors (Midwives Amendment) Rules 1998.

(2) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires, “the principal rules” means the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Rules 1983 .

Section 2 Amendment of the Principal Rules

(1) The principal rules shall be amended in accordance with the following paragraphs of this rule.

(2) In rule 27 (interpretation) for the definition of “emergency” shall be substituted the following—““emergency” means a situation in which a sudden, unexpected event occurs relating to the health or condition of the mother or baby which requires immediate attention.”.

(3) In rule 30(1)(a), (b) and (c) (educational requirements) after the word “English” shall be added the words “or Welsh”.

(4) For rule 40 (responsibility and sphere of practice) shall be substituted the following—

Responsibility and sphere of practice

(40)

(1) A practising midwife is responsible for providing midwifery care to a mother and baby during the antenatal, intranatal and postnatal periods.

(2) Except in an emergency, a practising midwife shall not provide any midwifery care, or undertake any treatment which she has not, either before or after registration as a midwife, been trained to give or which is outside her current sphere of practice.

(3) In an emergency, or where a deviation from the norm which is outside her current sphere of practice becomes apparent in the mother or baby during the antenatal, intranatal or postnatal periods, a practising midwife shall call a registered medical practitioner or such other qualified health professional who may reasonably be expected to have the requisite skills and experience to assist her.

(5) For rule 41 (administration of medicines and other forms of pain relief) shall be substituted the following—

Administration of medicines and other forms of pain relief

(41)

(1) A practising midwife shall only administer those medicines, including analgesics, in respect of which she has been trained as to use, dosage and methods of administration.

(2) A practising midwife shall only administer medicines, including inhalational analgesics, by means of apparatus if she is satisfied that the apparatus has been properly maintained, and

(a) it has a CE marking; or, if it does not have such a marking,

(b) it is of a type for the time being approved by the Council as suitable for use by a midwife,

and in this paragraph, “CE marking” has the meaning assigned to it in the Medical Devices Regulations 1994 .

(3) In a situation in which clinical trials involving new medicines including inhalational analgesics, or new apparatus, are taking place, a practising midwife may only participate under the direction of a registered medical practitioner.