A number of HM The Queen’s honours were conferred on midwives and those linked to the maternity services this weekend. Jenny Hall tells you about them…
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Maternity in the spotlight: HM The Queen’s Birthday honours
In the UK each year, on the date of the Queen’s “official birthday”, or anniversary of her accession to the throne, honours are awarded for contributions of service to the country. This year, as it is in celebration of her Platinum 70th Jubilee, the awards reflected particularly sustained public service, environmental and sustainability concerns and youth engagement. The awards are made through private nominations that are then considered via the awards committee and then approved by the Queen. Amongst the awards are a number of midwives and links to maternity services. We introduce and celebrate them here. Congratulations to everyone and thank you for all you do:
Dame Commander
Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer, England; Executive/National Director NHS England and NHS Improvement.
Ruth started her role in January 2019, after 37 years of nursing: an important date as she has been a significant leader over the COVID-19 pandemic. She is also the national director responsible for infection prevention and control, which meant that she was prominent to the public in daily press briefings.
Commander of the British Empire (CBE)
Gill Walton, Chief Executive Officer, Royal College of Midwives.
Gill was appointed Chief Executive and general secretary in 2017 after over 30 years of practice and management roles. She has been involved in various national policy and strategy developments and particularly supported midwives and maternity support workers over the pandemic.
Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Mary Renfrew, Professor Emeritus of Mother and Infant Health Midwife Researcher, University of Dundee
Mary has been within midwifery and maternal and infant health research for over 40 years. Her ground-breaking work is internationally recognised and has led to changing policy and care of mothers and babies globally. She was Principal Investigator for the global Lancet Series on Midwifery, was Trustee for UNICEF and WHO advisor. Mary led the transformation of the Nursing Midwifery Council Future midwife education standards and in 2022 was the first midwife elected to Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
Heidi Thomas McGann, screenwriter and playwright, for services to drama.
Heidi is included here as she has been the principal creator and screenwriter for the TV series “Call the Midwife”. Though the initial series was based on the original books by Jennifer Worth, Heidi and her team have taken the series forward, covering important social and health changes over the late 1950s and 1960s. These have been significant in telling the story of midwifery and childbirth over that period. The sensitive writing has been important for displaying the work of midwives that echos into today.
Doreen Emelda Watkins (Dotty Watkins), Head of Quality and Governance Maternity, Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
Dotty has been in midwifery for over 40 years. She was previously Head of Midwifery and Nurse Director at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and recently has been Head of Quality and Governance for midwifery for Rotherham. In recent years she ahs been awarded Honorary Fellowship of the RCM, and the Chief Midwifery Officer’s Gold medal for her dedicated service.
Member of the British Empire (MBE)
Diane Buggy, Community Midwife, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Diane has been given her award for services to Midwifery and to the community in North East England. Alongside her community midwife role Diane set up Mothers for mothers to help support women who were refugees or asylum seekers locally.
Dr Clea Elizabeth Harmer, Chief Executive, Sands. For services to Baby Loss Awareness and to Supporting Bereaved Parents.
Sands, the Stillbirth and Neonatal death Society, is well known in midwifery services, for supporting across all areas of pregnancy loss and bereavement. Dr Clea Harmer has been Chief executive since 2016, and works across a number of strategic positions, including on the stakeholder council for NHS England.
British Empire Medal (BEM)
Rukeya Khanom Miah, Deputy Associate Director of Nursing and Senior Midwife, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Rukeya has been in midwifery for over 20 years with a particular interest in education. Rukeya has received her award in recognition for services to Maternity and Healthcare Education, particularly during Covid-19. She became the district vaccination equality lead, with a focus on cultural sensitivities and improving uptake of vaccines across all communities.
Anne Trotter, Assistant Director of Education and Standards, NMC
Anne has been a nurse for over 40 years, and has been within the NMC for over 12 of them. She has had a significant role in developing and transforming the new nursing and midwifery education standards in recent years. The award has been given for services to public health.
Congratulations to everyone and thank you for all you do.
Dr Jenny Hall
Midwifery Editor
Maternity and Midwifery forum and Matflix