In the new role, Professor Sandall has been seconded to design and lead the midwifery research strategy for NHS England and NHS Improvement on behalf of the Chief Midwifery Officer for England.
I am delighted to be offered this exciting new role working with the Chief Midwifery Officer’s team in NHS England and NHS Improvement. This is an unprecedented opportunity to work with the team, universities, the NIHR, the midwifery profession and other stakeholders to contribute to national policy, strategy and service delivery. I look forwards to enhancing leadership and academic capacity for research in midwifery and strengthening the profession’s contribution to evidence-informed transformational change.
Jane Sandall is professor of social science and women's health at King’s College London. An NIHR Senior Investigator, her research focuses on implementation and the impact of safety and quality strategies.
At NIHR ARC South London, Professor Sandall leads the maternity and perinatal mental health research theme. In this capacity, she is undertaking research examining how midwife continuity of care may improve quality of care, experience and outcomes for women at higher risk of pre-term birth.
She is also leading an ARC research programme designed to reduce the impact of inequity on maternity experiences and outcomes for disadvantaged and Black, Asian and ethnic minority women and infants, as well as new research evaluating how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted on maternity care and women’s experiences.
Professor Sandall will start her new role as Head of Midwifery Research at NHS England and NHS Improvement on 1 February 2021. She will continue to lead the ARC’s maternity and perinatal mental health theme and the Maternal Health Systems and Implementation Research Group in the School of Life Course Sciences at King’s College London.