‘Scholarship award for midwife for work preventing deaths in high risk BME pregnant women’
By ‘Scholarship award for midwife for work preventing deaths in high risk BME pregnant women’ on 24 October 2019 Midwifery Midwives Healthcare Professionals BME staff Pregnancy
A midwife was amongst five outstanding healthcare professionals who where today inducted as scholars into this year’s prestigious Mary Seacole awards
This afternoon their work was recognised for being innovative, diverse and will go towards improving the health of people from BME communities with the Mary Seacole Leadership and Development Awards.
Midwife Sarah Chitongo a midwife from Middlesex University Hospital is one of the new scholars her Development Award is for work towards preventing deaths in high risk black minority ethnic (BME) groups in maternity services
The awards are in memory of Mary Seacole, the Jamaican Scottish nurse, who bravely nursed soldiers during the Crimean War (1853-1856).
The awards were created in her honour and provide opportunities to undertake specific healthcare projects that benefit the health outcomes of BME communities.
The winners were announced today Thursday (Oct 24th) at a ceremony at a ceremony at St Thomas' Hospital in London.
“Commenting, Janet Fyle MBE a professional policy advisor at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said;
“All the scholars have dedicated their projects to improving the health outcomes for people including pregnant women from BME communities and the importance of that work cannot be underestimated.
“We know health inequalities still heavily exist and we need to work harder to change this and to ensure the care we deliver is more diverse and culturally sensitive and that’s why these projects are so valuable.
“Maternity services care for women from ethic minority and BME backgrounds and these women sadly have poorer outcomes that is why Sarah and all the scholar’s development work is so vital to improve healthcare outcomes for all patients.
“The RCM supports and champions the need for midwifery continuity of carer because we know this improves outcomes for all women from all backgrounds and its particularly important areas of high socio-economic disadvantage.”
Commenting, midwife Sarah Chitongo says;
“Its been an amazing transformational journey and hugely honoured to have contributed to the Mary Seacole legacy, particularly in highlighting health inequalities in maternity care and services.
“I aspire that we will come together as a service to improve these poor outcomes for BME women and their families and hope that we inspire other
The chair of the Mary Seacole awards committee Obi Amadi said: “Once again, the panel members were presented with very high-quality projects that will benefit and improve the lives of those from the BME communities.
“Today’s scholars have spent the last year working hard and refining their projects. It is wonderful that they have now completed them, following vigorous scrutiny from their mentors. They are now proudly inducted into the rollcall of Mary Seacole alumni.
“We hope that their individual efforts will act as a spur for those thinking of coming forward to participate in the Mary Seacole awards in the years to come.”
All the new scholars have been working on their respective projects for the last year, funded by Health Education England and they are:
Midwife Sarah Chitongo, Middlesex University
Development Award: Preventing deaths in high risk black minority ethnic (BME) groups in maternity services.
Dr Obrey Alexis, Oxford Brooks University
Leadership Award: A qualitative study examining black African and black Carribbean men’s experiences of prostate cancer and their perceived needs.
Alis Rasul, Mosely Hall Hospital Birmingham
Leadership Award: Approachable Parenting: A realist evaluation of the health visitor role in co-delivering a culturally sensitive early intervention programme to support the mental health of Muslim families.
Sarah Chitongo, Middlesex University
Development Award: Preventing deaths in high risk black minority ethnic (BME) groups in maternity services.
Kanta Kumar, University of Birmingham
Development Award: Perceptions of Doppler ultrasound scan among Black and minority ethnic patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Dorcas Gwata, Clinical Lead Integrated Gangs Unit, Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Leadership Award: Improving leadership in Mental Health interventions for adolescents from African and Middle Eastern backgrounds who are affected by gang culture (vulnerable, violent and exploited) in Westminster.
ENDS
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The RCM is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences and online resources. For more information visit the RCM website at https://www.rcm.org.uk/.