Speaker Biographies Dr Catherine Angell Principal Academic, Centre for Midwifery, Maternal and Perinatal Health, Bournemouth University Catherine is Principal Academic at the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal and Perinatal Health, Bournemouth University and teaches across a number of midwifery units, particularly in the areas of infant feeding and research appreciation. Her research interests are in infant feeding and learning technology/learning behaviours. Sarah Chapman Knowledge Broker, Cochrane UK Sarah s work at Cochrane UK focuses on disseminating Cochrane evidence through social media and encouraging engagement with it. She is the editor and a blogger for their award-winning blog, Evidently Cochrane. In 2015, Sarah developed blogshots as another way of getting evidence quickly and easily into the hands of people who can use it, and created a social media series for midwives, Evidence for Everyday Midwifery (#EEMidwifery), with a sister series for nurses. Sarah has a background in nursing and in the history of women s health in early modern England. Terri Coates Midwife, Lecturer, Writer and Clinical Editor for the BBC Call the Midwife Series Terri Coates has been a practising midwife since 1982 and is the midwifery advisor for Call the Midwife. Dividing her year between clinical work and the CTM production Terri also writes for text books on the subject of shoulder dystocia and fetal malpositions. She has also worked with BBC Media Action in Bangladesh producing medical education drama.
Nigel Elson Co-founder and Commercial Director, Isosec Nigel Elson is the Co-founder and Commercial Director of Isosec. He has been involved large scale projects aimed at making people s lives better through the use of Information Technology for over 25 years. He has worked with the NHS for the last 10 years and enjoys the challenges and rewards associated with finding solutions that help improve the lives of NHS staff and patients. Nigel s wife has also worked for the NHS for over 20 years as a Paramedic and so he has first-hand experience of some of the pressures NHS staff are currently facing. Dr Gloria Esegbona OBGYN, Midwife and Winston Churchill Fellow 2015,Kings College Learning Institute Dr Gloria Esegbona is a strategic clinician, academic and educator skilled in high risk intrapartum care and with specialist experience in prevention and management of a wide range of obstetric trauma, including the obstetric fistula. She believes there is a need to address the abstract way in which the obstetric tract (OBSTRACT) is perceived and considered in maternity clinical practice, as this is leading to rising intervention in childbirth and an increasing awareness that mothers suffer from a lot more physical trauma to the obstetric tract than just perineal tears. This is the goal of the Art of childbirth and OBSTRACT training programmes which promote better understanding of anatomy and physiology and woman-centred physiological practices. Professor Jason Gardosi MD FRCSED FRCOG Director, The Perinatal Institute Plenary lecture: Preventing stillbirths: a national programme Professor Jason Gardosi MD FRCSED FRCOG is the Director of the Perinatal Institute in Birmingham, UK a multidisciplinary not-for-profit organisation set up to enhance the quality and safety of maternity care (www.perinatal.org.uk). The Institute is recipient of consecutive national Patient Safety Awards in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and the 2015 BMJ Award for Clinical Leadership, for reducing stillbirth rates in England. Jason s main interests are fetal growth, antepartum and intrapartum surveillance, perinatal epidemiology and clinical audit. jgardosi@perinatal.org.uk
Maude Grant Medical Communications Manager, Nestle Nutrition UK Maude Grant qualified from University College Dublin with a BSc in Human Nutrition and has been working in the area of maternal and infant nutrition for over 4 years. She is currently involved in research looking at developments within infant feeding. Wendy Henry Reiki Therapist, Birmingham Wendy Henry has worked in the NHS for almost 10 years, prior to this she worked in education and social care. Wendy knew from an early age that she wanted to engage people to empower themselves to make healthy life choices and choose jobs which made this possible. In 2004 she achieved a BSc in Health Promotion. Through Wendy s own life experiences she learned techniques to heal herself physically, emotionally and spiritually. In 2014 Wendy had a spiritual awakening and felt a calling which drew her to Reiki. Faith Kayembe Senior Lecturer Midwifery, Canterbury Christ Church University Faith qualified as a midwife from King s College London University. She is currently Senior Lecturer in Midwifery at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU). Driven by a strong sense to give back and make a significant difference in maternal and neonatal care in areas of need, she has engaged in voluntary activities in enhancing newborn care in Zambia by engaging with a UK charity (Brighton Lusaka Health Link (BLHL)). She shares her experience and seeks to explore relevant challenges and opportunities with likeminded colleagues. Beckie Lang Programme Director, IPIP (Improving Performance In Practice) Beckie Lang is Programme Director at IPIP (Improving Performance in Practice) which is a consortium of public health research and training organisations working to reduce health inequalities and improve health outcomes. A public health nutritionist by background, Beckie uses her previous academic research and corporate communication skills to support healthy pregnancies through the management of projects which aim to empower and enable positive behaviour change. Her expertise is in the first 1000 days and her interest lies in the areas of nutrition, smoking cessation and perinatal mental health. Beckie originally represented her previous employer, Tommy s, on the Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group, and remains a member through the Tobacco Control
Collaborating Centre. Beckie is currently working on a three year project supporting young pregnant women to quit smoking in pregnancy. Jacqueline Lowdon Paediatric Dietitian and Team Leader in Therapy & Dietetics, Manchester Children s Hospital Jacqueline Lowdon is a Paediatric Dietitian and Team Leader in Therapy & Dietetics, presently working at Manchester Children s Hospital. Jacqueline has worked in the NHS for 25 years, with 20 years working in paediatrics, over the years Jacqueline has worked in many areas, including gastroenterology, neurology, neonates and home enteral support. Jacqueline has also previously chaired the Paediatric Group of the British Dietetic Association. Sue Macdonald Midwifery Consultant and Educationalist Sue is a midwife and educationalist by background. After qualifying as a nurse at Guys hospital, she trained as a midwife. She worked as a midwife in London and in Dorset, working in all areas of maternity services. She then moved into midwifery education after completing the Advanced Diploma in Midwifery. Whilst working in education she designed the first direct entry midwifery programme in London, and developed a range of innovative continuing education courses for midwives from initial degree to Masters level. Sue worked at the Royal College of Midwives for 10 years, managing the research and education agendas. More recently Sue has been involved in a UNICEF programme overseas, and in developing electronic learning materials. She is passionate about developing midwifery practice, research and education, and is currently undertaking an MPhil/PhD at Middlesex University. Sue is currently editing the 15th Edition of Mayes Midwifery Textbook. She received an Honorary Fellowship from the RCM in June 2014. Harbir Singh Osteopath and Lead Patient Handler, Homerton University Hospital Musculoskeletal disorders are the number one cause of long term sickness absence in midwives. This presentation will impart the skills and techniques needs to maintain a health back throughout your midwifery carer. The presentation consists of specific exercises, movements and postures designed for Midwives, to relieve and prevent musculoskeletal disorders including back pain.
Biography: Harbir Singh is a registered Osteopath and Lead Patient Handler at Homerton University Hospital. He was the first Osteopath in history to be on the Olympic Medical Team, has authored 9 books and has trained over 10,000 Nurses and Midwives in his method to prevent and treat back pain. Bridget Supple Parent Educator, Birmingham Women s Hospital; NCT; TAMBA Bridget has been an antenatal teacher for over 12 years with the NCT delivering preparation for birth courses all over the country. Since 2004 Bridget has worked at Birmingham Women s Hospital running and teaching the NHS Parent Education classes in a large specialist maternity hospital as well as teaching Twins and Multiples courses for TAMBA. She also writes the News for the International Journal of Birth and Parent Education, lectures and runs workshops on baby brain development and optimizing the microbial start for baby. She also runs the Seeding Baby s Microbiome Facebook page. Clare Winter Senior Lecturer, University of Brighton After 3 years in nursing, Clare qualified as a midwife in 1985. Following just over one year working in the NHS, Clare became an independent midwife, carrying her own case load for 17 years. This time was punctuated with a short time as a community midwife in the 90s. Since 2000, Clare has worked mainly in academia as a midwifery lecturer in various Universities which includes working part time in a midwifery lead unit in Scotland for three years. Clare has a number of publications in journals, including a chapter in a book looking at how independent midwives assess the progress of labour.