Midwifery lecturer Liz bows out from uni job

Jun 12 2008 by Sandra Walls, Hamilton Advertiser

AFTER 43 years’ service to the nursing and midwifery professions, a senior lecturer in midwifery has retired from the Hamilton-based University of the West of Scotland.

Liz Mackay (61), from Holytown, began her nurse training in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in 1965 and qualified as a registered general nurse in 1968.

She then moved on to do midwifery training at the Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion in Edinburgh – qualifying as a midwife in 1970.

Following a period working as a midwife in the NHS, Liz moved to Dumfries in 1975 to take up a post as a clinical teacher in midwifery at the School of Midwifery.

She came to Lanarkshire in 1979 to work in Bellshill Maternity, part of the Lanarkshire School of Nursing and Midwifery, as a lecturer and gained promotion in 1986 to the post of senior lecturer in midwifery.

Liz said: “I have seen midwifery education change from being a one-year course for registered nurses, to the three-year direct entry course for students with no nursing experience.”

During 1990, Liz held several open evenings at Bellshill Maternity to assess local interest in the possible provision of a permanent three-year course.

She added: “These evenings were an overwhelming success and I established the three-year direct entry into midwifery in 1992.

“Twenty students commenced the course and qualified in 1995, many of whom have gone into senior midwifery posts.”

Between 1992 and 1999 Liz was responsible for the continuing professional development courses for midwives – and in 1993 was responsible for the introduction of the first part-time midwifery degree in Scotland. She then developed the B.Sc. Midwifery at Bell College, now UWS, in 2001.

Since then there have been many pioneering initiatives introduced by Liz into the midwifery profession.

She said: “Three years ago a childbirth simulator called Noelle was introduced into the Hamilton campus, enabling students to practice midwifery in a safe environment prior to workplace experience.”

In October, 2006, Liz was responsible for the development of a clinical faculty, which ensures that students are taught by midwives currently working in NHS Lanarkshire.

Up to 1999 she was chairman of the Royal College of Midwives, Scottish Board.

For the last several years, Liz has undertaken consultancy work with Wyeth Nutrition, and took part in a video for parents ‘Newborn Knowhow’.

As part of that consultancy work she had developed a teaching aid for midwives to assist them caring for women in labour.

And last year she introduced the Intermediate Life Support course into the curriculum.

Riny Wondergem, midwife and colleague, said: “Liz was my lecturer during my studies in midwifery based in Bellshill Maternity.

“With her support I completed the part-time degree in midwifery at Caledonia University and continued to progress in the Supervisors of Midwives course, and also gained the confidence to mentor students.”