Sinead O’Connor is training to be a “death midwife”.

The ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ hitmaker is currently studying for a healthcare qualification, which she wants to use to build on voluntary work she previously undertook that will allow her to be by the side of dying patients when they have no loved ones able to be with them in their final moments.

She told MOJO magazine: “I’m doing a healthcare assistant diploma. I want to be what you’d call a death midwife.

“I had a voluntary job in a programme in America called No Veterans Die Alone – which is actually going to be the title of the album I’m making – and the idea was that for soldiers who didn’t have any family around, you’d be the person companioning them when they were passing on.

“It’s something I feel strongly that I want to do. I hope to God I’m not a p****. I don’t think I am.”

The 53-year-old star returned to her music career last year after a long period off due to ill health, and she revealed she needed to go back to work because of her financial situation.

She explained: “I had a hysterectomy in 2015 and the same year one of my children became very unwell… I became very unwell and it took me five years to recover.

“I wasn’t able to work, I was in hospital for eight months up to May last year and when I came out I had 8,000 quid in the bank and immediately got a 2,000 quid gas bill.

“That was my catalyst for getting the f*** back to work.”

Next year will see the publication of Sinead’s memoir, which was written five years ago, and she admitted she’s not looking forward to reading it back.

She said: “I’m not looking forward to having to remember everything when I read it because I’ve paid a lot of money in therapy to forget everything.

“I’m half-joking, because if I’ve done my job properly, it’s also a very funny book.”