Recent engagement work for the Nottingham Review

As Chair of the Independent Maternity Review into Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), I am committed to engaging with the many communities across Nottinghamshire to ensure that all voices are heard and amplified by the Review.

In September, I was so pleased to meet with women at the Nottingham Women’s Centre in Chaucer Street, the heart of Nottingham, to hear of their experiences maternity services in Nottinghamshire. It was a valuable meeting, and we will continue to meet with community groups throughout the entirety of the Review to help build trust and show our commitment to supporting family voices. The engagement meeting was also attended by Ola from the Motherhood Group and provided an opportunity to connect with an organisation that bridges gaps between communities and advocates for black mothers and families.

I was also invited to attend two services across the Majority Black Led Churches, to meet with the congregations and show our support in amplifying black voices. The service at God’s Vineyard Ministries was very special, as it marked forty years of marriage between Pastor Ezekiel and his wife Olufunmilayo. I was joined by the Chief Executive of NUH, Anthony May, and we were welcomed by the church choir, and gifted a special book written by Pastor Ezekiel and Funmi. It was a privilege to be invited to attend, and so important in nurturing relationships with the community to ensure that improvements are made to maternity services as a result of what they tell us.