I am a registered midwife and a Professor in the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. I have enjoyed a longstanding career that has combined education, research and practice. I am a Fellow of the Royal College of Midwives and a National Teaching Fellow (AdvancedHE). I am passionate about advancing the evidence-based practice of midwives ensuring they are equipped to deliver high quality, safe and effective care to women, their babies and families. My recent research interests address key midwifery issues particularly around the time of birth and in the early postnatal period. Currently I am Head of Research in the Department of Human Science and Public Health and am also the Deputy Lead for the research centre, Midwifery, Maternity and Perinatal Health. I supervise a number of PGR students undertaking a clinical academic doctorate. These are full time doctorates completed over four years, where the research idea is generated from clinical practice, and the PGR is a clinical midwife who spends 3 days a week working on their PhD and 2 days a week in practice.

I have taught both pre and post registration midwifery at Bournemouth University and linked clinically to Poole NHS Trust. I left the University in 2001 to work for the regulatory body for nurses, midwives and health visitors (UKCC), and subsequently the Nursing and Midwifery Council, in the role of Midwifery Advisor and was a member of a variety of steering and advisory groups across the UK. I returned to Bournemouth University in 2009 as the Lead Midwife for Education and Framework Lead for Midwifery and Rehabilitation undergraduate programmes. I chaired the LME UK Executive, a national body of lead midwife educators, for five years and have been an elected member of the Royal College of Midwives, the professional body for midwives and maternity support workers. I was Chair of the Board for two years (2015-2017). Currently I am an NMC Visitor for midwifery programmes that lead to registration with the NMC.

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