RCM member wins national recognition at BAME awards 

A major national honour has been given to midwife and Royal College of Midwives (RCM) member Angelina Ankomah, who has scooped a BAME Midwife of the Year award.  Angelina is a diabetes lead midwife at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust and won the accolade at the BAME Health and Care Awards on 6 May, after being nominated by Tejal Vaghela, the Clinical Practice Group Programme Manager and Connect BAME network Joint Chair at the trust. The award judges said they were impressed by the commitment, dedication and inspiring leadership demonstrated by Angelina. 

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust had 12 nominees and five winners at the awards.  Tracey Carter is the trust’s Chief Nurse; “We are delighted that Angelina has won the ‘BAME Midwife of the Year award 2021’ and that her outstanding contribution to the maternity diabetes service has been recognised,” she said. “Her leadership, compassion and commitment has improved care and outcomes for so many of our diabetic mothers.” 

The BAME Health and Care Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff from across the health and care services, and supports their career development.  

“This is a real honour for Angelina. The work she is doing is so important for the women she cares for, but it also highlights the contribution of staff from our many ethnic communities,” Said Zeenath Uddin, the RCM’s Head of Quality and Safety and the lead on its Race Matters programme. “I congratulate Angelina on this wonderful achievement and her dedication and commitment is an example to us all.” 

For more information on the BAME National Health & Care Awards see https://bamehscawards.org/#:~:text=The%20National%20BAME%20Health%20%26%20Care%20Awards%20recognise%20and%20celebrate%20the,development%20support%20for%20BAME%20staff.