title: Developing the midwife's role in public health.
abstract: There is widespread acceptance that health can be shaped by factors occurring as far back as infancy, and even before birth. In September 2010 the document Midwifery 2020: Delivering Expectations was launched in Edinburgh. The aim of the report was to establish the future direction for midwifery in the UK, and included specific reference to the midwife's public health role. The report notes that experiences from in utero development until eight years of age lay critical foundations for the entire life course. The report reiterates previous debate on the important contribution maternity services have in addressing health inequalities, and emphasises the importance of midwives striving to address the needs of the most vulnerable communities they serve.
authors.affiliation: University of Nottingham.
authors.forename: Sheena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Byrom
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Symon
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000639:trends*; D008880:Midwifery / Q000639:trends*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses' / Q000639:trends*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000639:trends*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D006113:United Kingdom