National preceptorship model for midwifery

This National Preceptorship Model for Midwifery is a summary document outlining the core and gold preceptorship standard requirements and should be used alongside the framework document.

The purpose of preceptorship is to provide support, guidance, and development for all newly registered practitioners to build confidence and develop further competence as they transition from student to autonomous professional.

The core purpose and expected outcome is improved retention for newly registered midwives.

Both core and gold standards can apply to all newly registered midwives.

Length of preceptorship programme

Core standard

  • Minimum of 12 months with the option for sign-off at nine months, and extend the programme to those requiring it, up to 18 months to complete.

Gold standard

  • Early career support continues for a further 12-24 months, post-preceptorship.
  • An accelerated bespoke preceptorship programme for internationally recruited (IRs) educated midwives.

Supernumerary period

Core standard

  • Newly registered midwives will have a minimum of four weeks (or equivalent to 150 hours) supernumerary time over the 12-month preceptorship period, pro rata.
  • Additional protected time of 8-12 hours throughout the programme for preceptor and preceptee.

Gold standard

  • Protected time includes three hours preparation, three hours for meetings with preceptee, two hours for personal development for both the preceptor and preceptee, over 12 months.

Meeting requirements (preceptor and preceptee)

Core standard

  • Meetings will take place as follows:
    • Start of the preceptorship year.
    • Progress meetings at 3, 6, and 9 months.
    • Completion of preceptorship programme at 9-12 months.
  • A named preceptor is allocated to each preceptee within one week of starting in post, and the preceptee is notified, with an initial meeting taking place within two weeks.

Gold standard

  • A named preceptor is allocated to each preceptee prior to preceptee starting in post and the preceptee is notified, with an initial meeting taking place within one week.

Roles

  • Preceptor
  • Preceptee
  • Buddy
  • Professional midwifery advocate (PMA)

Preceptor

Core standard

  • Registered midwife band 6 minimum
  • Minimum 12 months’ experience post-registration working in the same area.
  • Completed own preceptorship programme
  • Attending preceptorship preparation training
  • Refer to role descriptor for detail

Gold standard

  • No more than one preceptor to two preceptees.
  • Ongoing support and training.
  • Preparation training for buddies.

Preceptorship lead

Core standard

  • Midwifery manager or band 7 midwife.
  • Programme coordination.
  • Monitoring and evaluating preceptorship.
  • Development and review of programme and policy.
  • Support for preceptors.
  • Maintain register of preceptors.

Gold standard

  • Development programme for preceptors.
  • Support for preceptors.
  • Develop and deliver support network for preceptors.
  • Promotion of value and benefits of preceptorship within own organisation.

Buddy

  • Band 6 midwife or above with a minimum of 12 months experience.
  • Critical friend, a named person for the preceptee.
  • Buddies allocated per shift or per rotation by the preceptorship lead or chosen by the preceptee.
  • Refer to role descriptor for detail.

Core elements

Core standard

  • Preceptorship policy.
  • Formal, structured programme of learning.
  • Standard documentation across organisation.
  • Role descriptions.
  • Protected time.
  • Monitoring and evaluation.
  • Development of preceptors/preceptor training.

Gold standard

  • Protected time for preceptors (minimum 12 hours).
  • Meeting templates.
  • Development and support for preceptors.
  • Preceptorship mandated across organisation.
  • Audit trails to demonstrate compliance, evaluation, and feedback.

Induction

Core standard

  • An individualised plan for learning and development is discussed and agreed.
  • This includes a discussion around equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility including for neurodivergent colleagues), with an offer of support and reasonable adjustments as required.

Gold standard

  • May include:
    • allocated time with PMAs, head/director of midwifery, specialist midwives.

Indicative content of development programme

Core standard

  • Facilitated learning/study days (flexible dependent on work area and individual requirements)
  • Health and wellbeing initiatives.
  • Mindfulness.
  • Reflection.
  • Pastoral care and support.
  • Clinical supervision.
  • PMA/restorative clinical supervision.
  • Freedom to speak up (FTSU) guardian.
  • Preceptees’ clinical placements take place within a continuity of carer team, if appropriate, where services have been assessed as safe and suitable support is appropriate.
  • Preceptees’ placement also take place in traditional teams or hybrid teams where continuity of carer has been paused.
  • Preceptees confirm that they are newborn and infant physical examination (NIPE) trained; plans are put in place to maintain competencies or register them to undertake NIPE training.

Gold standard

  • May include:
    • action learning
    • peer support forums for preceptor and preceptee
    • coaching
    • mentoring
    • active bystander training
    • PMAs will also offer regular 1:1 meeting.
  • May include one-to-one study session or some supernumerary time alongside NIPE practitioner, followed by rotations which allow the midwife to maintain their skill level. Those who have yet to have their NIPE training should be put on a waiting list.

Essential requirements

  • Newly registered midwives do not work on labour wards or provide intrapartum care in any location without appropriate regular fetal monitoring/cardiotocography (CTG) training and emergency skills training.
  • There is a system of immediate support to preceptee involved in a traumatic incident, provided by either a PMA, chaplain, preceptorship lead, health and wellbeing guardian, or an individual trained in debriefing as appropriate.

Compliance

  • A preceptorship policy is in place which:
    • outlines the midwifery preceptorship year
    • roles and responsibilities of key colleagues
    • is in date
    • is signed off through the organisation’s clinical governance processes.
  • A preceptorship lead or designated midwifery manager is in place who assures compliance with preceptorship standards.
  • A real time preceptorship register is in use to monitor overall progress of preceptees and allows the allocation of a preceptor and or a buddy.
  • A senior responsible officer (SRO) for preceptorship.
  • National Preceptorship Framework (2023).
  • Nursing and Midwifery Council Principles for Preceptorship (2020).
  • The Ockenden Maternity Reviews (2020) and (2022).
  • Royal College of Midwives (2022).

Evaluation

Core standard

  • Course evaluations.
  • Retention statistics (12- and 24- months post-registration).
  • Feedback questionnaire on preceptorship experience at end point.
  • Annual review of the programme.
  • Feedback mechanism to preceptors and buddies.
  • Feedback from preceptor and preceptees.

Gold standard

  • Session feedback.
  • Feedback questionnaire on preceptorship experience – mid point and end point.
  • Preceptee involvement in design and development of programme.
  • Stakeholder feedback.

Publication reference: PR2098_ii