- Room 105, 8 Portland Villas, Drake Circus
- +44 1752 586556
- heather.hopper@plymouth.ac.uk
Profiles
Mrs Heather Hopper
Associate Professor Midwifery (Education)
School of Nursing and Midwifery (Faculty of Health)
Heather can be contacted through arrangement with our Press Office, to speak to the media on these areas of expertise.
- Infant feeding
- Midwifery
- Public health issues in midwifery
Email publicrelations@plymouth.ac.uk to enquire.
Role
Lead Midwife for Education
Academic Lead for Midwifery
Professional Midwifery Advocate
Qualifications
MSc Applied Health
BSc(Hons) Nursing Studies
Diploma in Midwifery
Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice in Education for Healthcare Professionals
Professional Graduate Certificate in Education
I have been a registered midwife since 1994 and worked in clinical practice before taking on the role of midwifery lecturer in 2011. As a midwife I have worked in all clinical areas including hospital team midwifery, consultant led labour ward and community midwifery. I have also worked as a research midwife and a specialist public health midwife.
Diploma in Midwifery
Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice in Education for Healthcare Professionals
Professional Graduate Certificate in Education
I have been a registered midwife since 1994 and worked in clinical practice before taking on the role of midwifery lecturer in 2011. As a midwife I have worked in all clinical areas including hospital team midwifery, consultant led labour ward and community midwifery. I have also worked as a research midwife and a specialist public health midwife.
Professional membership
Nursing and Midwifery Council
Royal College of Midwives
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Roles on external bodies
Member of NMC LME Strategic Reference Group
Member of SW Maternity Clinical Network
Teaching interests
Public health and health promotion relating to midwifery
Infant feeding
Perinatal Mental Health
AEQUIP model of midwifery supervision
Reproductive biology
Staff serving as external examiners
External Examiner at University of Bedfordshire
Research interests
Pre-conception care for women with pre-existing medical conditions (subject of current PhD study)
Breastfeeding and the role of peer supporters
Experience of infant feeding in NICU
Hopper H. Shawe J. Kent B. Husk K. Wanner A. (2018) What approaches for peri-conception care for women with pre-existing medical conditions work, for whom, and in what circumstances? The development of a protocol for a realist review as part of a PhD study. Royal College of Midwives Conference 2018 (poster presentation)
Stenhouse E. Letherby G. Bendall A. Hopper H. Nichols G. Maxwell N. (2017) Dealing with Complexity: Infant feeding choices and experiences for mothers with infants in neonatal intensive care units and transitional care wards. 01.09.17 Plymouth. PEARL.
Hopper H. Stride S. Geary J. & Horsham K. (2017) Findings from an A-EQUIP pilot project. Midwives; London. Vol 20. Issue 2. pp 56-57.
Hopper H. and Skirton H. (2016) Factors influencing the sustainability of volunteer peer support for breast-feeding mothers within a hospital environment: An exploratory qualitative study. Midwifery. 2016 Jan; 32:58. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2015.09.007. Epub 2015 Sept 30.
Shields BM. Knight B. Hopper H. Hill A. Powell RJ. Hattersley A. and Clark PM. (2007) Measurement of cord insulin and insulin related peptides suggests females are more insulin resistant than males at birth. Diabetes Care. 2007 May 2.
Other academic activities
Oral conference presentations at:
ICM conference June 2017 Toronto
Poster presentations at:
RCM conference October 2018
Faculty Postgraduate Research event March 2018
ICM conference June 2017 Toronto
BFI conference Nov 2015 Harrogate
MAINN conference June 2015 Grange over Sands