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198 Education 2020 | NMH Annual Rep t Ann Rath, Assistant Director of Midwifery and Nursing. E ducation is a priority for The National Maternity Hospital (NMH) as it ensures the provision of the best possible evidence based care to the women and infants attending. NMH is a busy clinical unit with a strong and proud history as a teaching hospital for both undergraduate and postgraduate students in all disciplines: medical, midwifery, nursing, physiotherapy, social work, laboratory science, dietetics and paramedics. As a teaching hospital for both University College Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, nearly four hundred medical and midwifery students are trained every year; these range from lectures to clinical one medical students to the six-week placement in clinical two medicine through to the eighteen-month Hospital Education Postgraduate Midwifery Programme and the four year Bachelor of Midwifery degree students. Most of the non-consultant hospital doctor (NCHDs) are registered for training either under the auspices of the Royal College of Physicians, the College of Anaesthetists or the Irish College of General Practitioners. The NMH provides training to fulfill the criteria for basic and specialist training in the specialties of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Anaesthesia, Paediatrics and Pathology. The fellowship programmes in Urogynaecology, Reproductive Medicine, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Labour Ward Management, Maternal Medicine, Laparoscopy, Neonatology and Obstetric Anaesthesia continue to be popular choices for highly trained and motivated trainees. Similar to every other sector of society in general and the hospital specifically, the COVID-19 pandemic affected teaching within the hospital, both changing the format and the subject of education over the year. Within a very short time education changed from face to face meetings to virtual education to facilitate social distancing and meet public health guidance for possible infection control. Education rounds were provided through different virtual formats, meaning that not only did staff members have to learn differently but they also needed to become familiar in a short time with different platforms. We were grateful that the Chief Medical Officer advised that midwifery, nursing and medical students be identified as essential workers, allowing students to return to where they often learn healthcare best – within the community of clinical care providers and from patients themselves. Students are an essential part of our team and it is wonderful having them return to practice. Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Handover and MDT discussion twice a day on Labour & Birthing Unit, every week day and weekend day Fetal Medicine Maternal Medicine Emergency care Labour & Birthing care Grand Rounds Table 1: Weekly multidisciplinary teaching programme