The potential for bitesize learning to transform maternity training in Coventry
Challenge
Repeated national reports have found that improving on-the-job training is essential to improving maternity safety, but delivering that around the realities of clinical practice remains a significant challenge for NHS organisations. Midwives work across busy day and night shifts, making it difficult to attend traditional classroom-based sessions or complete lengthy e-learning modules. At the same time, services need training approaches that not only improve knowledge, but also build confidence and support meaningful changes in clinical practice.
Solution
A pilot in Coventry tested a novel, mobile-first learning programme, Upskill, for frontline healthcare professionals to see whether bitesize, flexible training could improve engagement, knowledge, confidence and clinical practice.
Eighty midwives completed an initial scoping questionnaire, with 24 enrolling in the voluntary programme and 18 completing it. Over 10 weeks, participants accessed 5-minute microlearning lessons via a gamified, mobile app, designed to deliver training ‘in the flow’ of clinical work. Upskill combined swappable, social-media-style content with knowledge quizzes, AI-powered roleplay, 360-degree immersive experiences and real-life case studies to support engagement and retention.
Training was rooted in educational best practice and adult learning pedagogy, utilising a ‘spaced repetition’ approach, to reinforce staff learning. Although some inevitable technical issues affected the early user experience, these were resolved, with 94% finding the app enjoyable to use.
Impact
The pilot produced strong results in learner engagement, satisfaction, knowledge retention and practical application. Its microlearning format was effective, with lessons typically completed in around 5 minutes and accessed at all times of day, demonstrating flexibility for staff working 24/7 clinical shifts.
Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive. All learners would recommend the training to colleagues and preferred it over traditional mandatory training.
The programme also demonstrated effective learning, with statistically significant increases in confidence across all 13 measured areas and knowledge scores.
Importantly, the ‘spaced repetition’ approach shows the potential to support longer-term retention, with learners maintaining knowledge even after gaps of more than a week between sessions. Most significantly, 100% of participants reported applying what they had learned in their clinical practice, indicating a direct positive impact on maternity care delivery.
Overall, the Coventry pilot showed that flexible, mobile-first learning can effectively engage busy midwives, enhance confidence and support improvements in clinical practice, suggesting strong potential as an alternative to traditional mandatory training.
Following this success, Coventry have commissioned Upskill to develop further training materials to support introduction of the new NHS England Maternal Care Bundle in early 2027.
