The case for collaborative learning: Introducing opportunities in the higher education setting

Abstract

Public Health England and the Department of Health (2015) have documented that parents are requesting consistent professional advice throughout pregnancy and the early weeks following birth, as their care is transferred from midwives to health visitors. In addition, commissioners are increasingly seeking to integrate services to provide joined-up care and improve health outcomes for parents and families. This paper discusses the benefits, to both parents and health professionals, of collaborative working, together with the challenges faced by midwives and health visitors in the current climate. It explores the benefits of collaborative learning between the two disciplines in the higher education setting, with an example of a successful collaboration at the University of Central Lancashire.