It was a double celebration for the Midwifery team at the All Ireland Midwifery Festival held in Dublin on Tuesday 18 April 2023. The Trailblazer Awards ceremony formed the latter part of the festival to recognise the achievements of Midwives across Ireland.
Katherine Robinson, Maternity Unit Manager picked up the Midwifery Practice Team Trailblazer Award for her work in clinical education. Katherine is the most experienced Midwife in Ireland in relation to both teaching Midwives and providing water births. She has supported midwife training and taught in a number of academic institutions across Ireland and the UK.
Katherine is passionate about women’s choices and rights during childbirth and goes above and beyond daily to support the women and families who use the Trust’s Maternity services, Katherine commented, “I was delighted to be awarded the Midwifery Practice Team Trailblazer Award. The Trust has facilitated women to use water for labour and birth for over 30 years and Midwives continue to support women requesting this service during a home birth, in the Midwifery Led Units and on the Labour Ward.
“There have been more than 5000 water births in the Ulster Hospital Home from Home Unit, however water birth provision is not offered in all hospitals throughout Ireland. This award was given in recognition of my work in supporting and teaching Midwifery colleagues throughout Ireland in the use of water for labour and birth. This work supported by Trust has helped extend the provision of this service to more women in Ireland.”
Jacqueline Dorrian and Susan Stitt, Clinical Bereavement Midwives were highly commended at the awards for the care that they provide to bereaved families and the work that they do to empower Maternity teams to provide high quality, parent centred, empathic and safe bereavement care through a range of innovative approaches. They support those in their care 7 days a week and are an interface between medical and midwifery staff. They also work in collaboration with charity organisations and external bodies to ensure the best evidence based care is provided.
Jacqueline and Susan also chair the Forget-me-not Bereavement Group, a collection of active service users who continue to drive and improve Trust services. The group have just recently launched a unique woodland tree planting project aimed at supporting families in their grief by providing a quiet space to reflect and remember their precious child.