October 13, 2020

Women in business and three tier lockdown. Working as a midwife. Patricia Devlin. Children's play in hospitals.

45 minutes

As the new three tier Covid lock down system comes into force in England we talk to some of the businesses which’re now facing stricter restrictions. Hannah Butler who runs the Victoria Hotel in the centre of Nottingham – a city which is now in the high risk tier - and also to Tanya Harrison who runs a hair salon in Liverpool which is now in the highest risk tier. And as the Northern Ireland executive meets today to agree what new measures are needed to curb the steep rise in covid cases there, Tina McKenzie from the Federation of Small Businesses will assess the economic impact of any new restrictions.

In her book Overdue: Birth, Burnout and a Blueprint for a Better NHS, Amity Reed describes what led her to becoming a midwife, in particular her desire to properly support and care for women throughout pregnancy, birth and postnatally. The reality of working in over-stretched and underfunded NHS maternity service soon shattered her illusions. The former midwife joins Jane to talk about her experiences as a midwife.

A journalist who writes about paramilitaries, has made a formal complaint to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland because investigations into threats she’s received have come to nothing. A year ago Patricia Devlin, who’s a crime journalist for the Sunday World, was posted a message on Facebook saying “Don’t go near your granny’s … Trisha. You will watch your new born get raped COMBAT 18!” It’s not the first threat she’s had but it’s the first time her baby’s been threatened.

Lisa Beaumont has just been awarded Health Play Specialist of the Year from The Starlight Children’s Foundation, for her work at Leeds Children’s hospital. She joins Jane to discuss the help she provides to seriously sick children, and the impact coronavirus is having on the service she can provide.

Presenter: Jane Garvey

Producer: Dianne McGregor

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