University News Last updated 16 July 2019
New funding will allow health visitors to access specialist training in how to best care for multiple birth families, thanks to a legacy left by a Birmingham health visitor.
Birmingham City University will provide 10 fully funded places on its unique online module, which trains healthcare professionals in how to provide individualised care for families who have recently experienced multiple births, such as those with newborn twins or triplets.
The bursaries have been created in memory of the late Ms Margery Osborn, a former Birmingham nurse and health visitor who left money in her will to improve healthcare training and provision in the city.
The bursaries will support health visitors in developing specialised skills to provide the best possible care for families in the first year following a multiple birth.
Developed by the University and the Elizabeth Bryan Multiple Births Centre (EBMBC), the module is offered to health visitors currently registered and practising in the UK.
This comes as evidence reported in a study undertaken by the EBMBC last year found that very few health visitors have had specific training in supporting multiple birth families. This is despite the fact that outcomes are widely acknowledged to be poorer for multiple birth families as the challenges they face are multiplied.
Health visitors applying for a funded place must be available to start the online training module on the 23 September 2019 and be able to provide confirmation of managerial support to undertake the training.
Jane Denton, Multiple Births Foundation Director and Co-lead for the EBMBC said: “The practical, emotional and financial impact of caring for two or more babies can be overwhelming for parents.
“Health visitors can provide vital support and early intervention to help prevent difficulties escalating to a crisis point.”
Dr Merryl Harvey, Professor of Nursing and Family Health and Co-Lead for the EBMBC, explained:
“We are really pleased to be able to offer a number of fully funded places on this training module thanks to the legacy kindly left to the University for this purpose.
“We hope that the module – which is completed online – will help address this gap in training and help multiple birth families access the best support possible.”
Applications close at 8am on the 31 July 2019. More information on the module and how to apply can be found on the University’s website or by emailing multiple.births@bcu.ac.uk.