New midwife reveals pride in her job after a busy six months

One of a number of midwives who joined Birmingham Women’s Hospital towards the end of 2021 has spoken of her smooth transition into the post despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.

A £2m investment by Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust paved the way for several new midwives and consultants to come on board and boost the care provided at the Edgbaston hospital.

Whilst acknowledging the challenges faced and the hard work which remains a constant of the jobs, the Women’s Hospital Director of Midwifery and Deputy Chief Nurse Rachel Carter said the investment had come at a vital time.

It allowed for new midwifery and consultant obstetrician posts to be created and these new recruits have been welcomed to the team after the Trust invested more than £1m in the hospital. This figure was supported by additional national funding following the Ockenden Review and this will allow for further recruitment this year.

What’s the verdict from a new midwife?

Among the new faces is newly-qualified midwife Autumn White, who joined the Trust in October.

She said: “I’ve found it a really positive experience. I’ve learned so much about the more complex sides to midwifery and I’ve been really well supported by staff.

“You do see how busy maternity is as a whole, but you’re well supported as a new midwife.

“My best moments have been working with the team over the Christmas period. I was working Christmas Day and they made it feel so homely and so festive!

“It was so nice to see the team supporting new moms around this time, helping them to become confident parents and go home with their babies.”

She added: “I think the investment will have a huge impact, definitely. Having more staff around so that we can spend more time with our women is great and means the team is growing and beginning to work more smoothly as we go.

“I’ve found that it’s important to also support colleagues through lots of communication - not just about work but also asking them about how their day is going – as everyone needs a check-in every now and then to make sure we can share the workload throughout the day.”

The investment was agreed by the Trust board in the summer of 2020 following the need being identified by the maternity service.

The Trust also held a staff-led Quality Summit which considered the culture of the service and this provided greater understanding of the areas for focus for the Quality Improvement Programme launched last year.

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