First midwife on register

Denyse King from Portsmouth has been accepted by the register, which is UK’s independent regulator for public health professionals.

Denyse said: ‘My midwifery background means I have a thorough understanding of the care women need during pregnancy and how healthcare workers interact with patients and each other.

‘This together with my public health knowledge means I am able to understand what needs to be considered when commissioning services.

‘Public health is very much linked to midwifery – the care received through pregnancy and after birth can affect us throughout life.

‘It has been a pleasure to be able to combine the two disciplines so seamlessly through my work in antenatal, newborn and newborn hearing screening, obesity and Chlamydia.’

Denyse qualified as a midwife in 1997 and started working in public health in 2008. She also lectures in midwifery for Bournemouth University.

To apply to UKPHR, professionals must submit a portfolio of evidence demonstrating their qualifications and competence.

The register has been established to protect the public by regulating public health professionals and guarding against unethical or unprofessional behaviour.

Dr Paul Edmondson-Jones, director of public health for Portsmouth, said: ‘Regulation is an important step for public health professionalism.

’It recognises the important role public health professionals have in shaping health care.

‘The profession is strengthened by drawing on many disciplines and I’m delighted Denyse has become the first midwife to complete registration as a public health practitioner. I hope that many more follow.’

Denyse will officially be presented with her certificate later this month (December).