In this blog, Jenn Garner and Ann Remmers report on our recent regional learning event, bringing together maternity and neonatal colleagues from across the region.
On Wednesday 30 April, we were delighted to welcome colleagues from trusts across the West of England to the regional learning event for our Maternity and Neonatal Safety Improvement Programmes at Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in Bristol.
With glorious spring sunshine setting the scene, the day was filled with inspiring talks, lively discussions and a shared commitment to providing safer, more equitable perinatal care.
The theme of the event, ‘Breaking Down Barriers for Safer Systems’, brought together a vibrant community of healthcare professionals united by a passion for improvement.
Ann Remmers (Maternity and Neonatal Clinical Lead for Health Innovation West of England) opened the day, encouraging attendees to take a step back from their busy roles to reflect, connect and learn from one another. Participants rose to the occasion with energy and engaged in interactive exercises to share the breadth of their work, captured creatively on our ‘tube maps’, which we’ll be sharing in the coming weeks.
We were gently grounded with a meditative breathing exercise led by Noshin Emamiannaeini-Menzies (Senior Project Manager at Health Innovation West of England), setting a calm and thoughtful tone for the day.
Jan Scott (Patient Safety Programme Manager) and Jenn Garner (Senior Project Manager) reflected on the maternity and neonatal collaborative’s achievements so far, including sustained improvements in neonatal outcomes through the PERIPrem programme, and shared exciting plans for the future.
Nikki Pattison (NHS England) and Gill Travers (Senior Project Manager, Health Innovation West of England) introduced the Perinatal Culture and Leadership programme, engaging the room with interactive exercises using the MOMENTS model to explore leadership behaviours and team culture.
Terri Gnani and Dr Sneha Basude (Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board) gave a powerful presentation on their work through the Race and Health Observatory’s Learning Action Network. Their project, ‘Anti-Racism in Preterm Optimisation’, has spotlighted disparities in preterm care and driven forward improvements in staff awareness and practice.
We were grateful to hear from Donna Butland, Service User Lead for South West Maternity and Neonatal Services, who delivered a moving talk on Listening Culture. Through the lens of a personal story, Donna highlighted the vital role of maternity and neonatal voices partnerships and made a compelling case for embedding them at every level of our systems.
Dr Lesley Jordan (Clinical Lead at Health Innovation West of England and Consultant Anaesthetist at Royal United Hospitals Bath) shared her insights into implementing the new national Maternal Early Warning Score (MEWS), reminding us all of the importance of nurturing a culture of curiosity.
The day concluded with Siobhan Lanigan (Senior Project Manager, Health Innovation West of England), who provided a valuable overview of Martha’s Rule and its links to MEWS. She left us looking ahead to the launch event in July – watch this space!
Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed, and made the day such a success. Your energy, openness and commitment to improving care for women, babies and families was truly inspiring.
Posted on May 13, 2025 by Jenn Garner, Senior Project Manager, and Ann Remmers, Maternity and Neonatal Clinical Lead, Health Innovation West of England
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