title: A wall of information? Exploring the public health component of maternity care in England.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  midwives have traditionally had an important role in providing public health messages to women. The range and diversity of the public health remit within maternity services has expanded rapidly over the past decade and maternity support workers as well as midwives are now engaged in public health work in many areas. Given these changes a review of current practice was indicated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to identify student midwives׳, midwives׳ and midwifery support workers׳ current knowledge of and involvement in the public health agenda in England.
  
  
  METHODS
  descriptive qualitative study using online discussion forums.
  
  
  METHODS
  England, United Kingdom
  
  
  METHODS
  undergraduate student midwives, midwives and maternity support workers employed by the National Health Service in England and University employed Leads for Midwifery Education.
  
  
  RESULTS
  key themes identified were: the scope of the midwives׳ public health role, training and support for public health role, barriers and facilitators, specific client groups, specialist referral services. Student midwives, midwives and maternity support workers view engagement with, and delivery of, public health initiatives as an integral component of their roles, but are on occasions frustrated by constraints of time, training and public engagement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the National Health Service in England aims to engage pregnant women and new mothers in a diverse range of population based and individualised, public health initiatives. Currently, there are high levels of involvement in the public health agenda from the maternity workforce across a wide range of activities. However, midwives and maternity support workers are restricted by barriers of time, training and resources. These barriers will need addressing for optimal maternity care engagement in public health to be realised.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  policy makers, commissioners and National Health Service providers need to provide clear guidance on the expectations of the public health remit of midwives and maternity support workers and ensure that such expectations are appropriately resourced to provide effective delivery.
authors.affiliation: School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK. Electronic address: Sandersj3@cf.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.affiliation: School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK. Electronic address: Hunterb1@cf.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Billie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.affiliation: School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK. Electronic address: warrenle@cf.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Warren
mesh_terms: D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D009721:Nurse Midwives; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D013222:State Medicine; D013338:Students, Nursing; D014481:United States; D014492:United States Public Health Service
keywords: Health education; Midwifery; Online focus groups; Public health