Bullying and undermining exists within many sectors and midwifery and maternity services are one area where this has been a longstanding problem - often impacting on students, on midwives and women and their care.

In this hour we are joined by experienced midwives Amanda Burleigh and Deb Hughes who will share their perspectives on bullying within midwifery, the impact on individuals and on care, how we can address it to improve the environment and experience of staff and women and families. The #Saynotobullyinhinmidwifery book, published in 2023, provides vivid and disturbing experiences of affected staff and points to the need for integrated and multi-disciplinary strategies to address bullying in a consistent and long lasting way.

Hosted by:

Sue Macdonald, Midwifery Expert; Host and Curator, Maternity and Midwifery Festivals/Midwifery Hour, Editor, Mayes Midwifery

Contribution from:

Amanda Burleigh, Senior Clinical Advisor, Independent Midwifery Consultant. Registered Midwife, Registered General Nurse

Deborah Hughes, Retired Midwife

Biographies

Amanda Burleigh

Amanda worked as a clinical midwife across a range of midwifery clinical settings (including New Zealand) for 29 years, before she left clinical midwifery in 2017 due to the effects of chronic bullying.

Although Amanda is no longer employed as an NHS Midwife she remains a passionate and currently registered midwife who continues to campaign globally for safe, evidence based umbilical cord management. Amanda is the founder of the global #waitforwhite campaign and now also campaigns against workplace bullying due to her own experiences.

Amanda Burleigh is a qualified Midwife and Registered Nurse with over 30 years as a clinical Midwife. She started campaigning for optimal cord clamping in 2005. More recently, Amanda co-authored the #Saynotobullyinginmidwifery anti bullying book.

Deborah Hughes

Deborah Hughes is a retired midwife with an illustrious career behind her, most recently as Research Midwife at the University of Cambridge. She is a breastfeeding peer supporter and coordinates both the UK Afghan Midwives Support Group and The Midwives’ Haven (ARM).

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