Senior midwife from Grantham receives prestigious award from Royal College of Midwives

A senior midwife has received a prestigious award.

Dr Jacqui Williams, who lives in Grantham, received the award from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Fellowship.

She was awarded for her many contributions to midwifery in areas including midwifery education at the RCM’s Education and Research Conference in Birmingham.

Jacqui, who is a senior fellow with the Higher Education Academy, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to receive this award from my college.

"I have been a midwife for nearly 42 years, and I feel as passionate about being a midwife today as I did when I first qualified.

"Becoming a fellow is both an honour and a privilege and brings me closer to the RCM."

Jacqui recently completed her doctorate looking at how student midwives develop resilience and cope with the stresses and strains of their education and training.

It is hoped the findings will be used across the UK to support student midwives during their midwifery programmes.

She is a senior midwifery advisor (education) to the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the UK regulator for nurses and midwives, on midwifery issues.

This is a crucial UK national role supporting the highest standards of practice for midwives and midwifery care for women.

Rebeccah Davies, president of the RCM, said: “Jacqui has a real passion for midwifery and for putting women right at the centre of care.

"This shines through in the work she has done throughout her career. Her work has an impact locally and nationally and is a driver of better practice by midwives and better care for women.

“Her commitment to support and foster the next generation of midwives is also hugely important.

"They are the future of the profession, and they need midwives and leaders like Jacqui to support them through those early years.

"She is a well-deserved recipient of this award and a wonderful addition to our roster of RCM Fellows."