Protecting human rights in childbirth
We are pleased to confirm a new three-year partnership with Bolt Burdon Kemp, a law firm specialising in serious injury claims, which builds on our shared goals to protect rights and improve safety in maternity care. The partnership includes a package of corporate financial support, fundraising activity, pro bono and in-kind support, and joint communications … Read more
We are convening a national inquiry into racial injustice in maternity care, throughout 2021, with support from law firm Leigh Day. The inquiry will be led by an expert panel made up of Black and Brown people with lived experience, midwives and obstetricians, healthcare and human rights lawyers, and other experts across academia, anti-racism, health policy and participation. … Read more
Women have told us that how Trusts communicate with them about changes to maternity services can be as important as the changes themselves. In this guest blog, Sally Talbot shares what the maternity team at South Warwickshire Foundation Trust have done to communicate effectively with both women/birthing people and staff during the pandemic…. We are … Read more
The #BasicBirthRights campaign seeks to raise awareness of the absolute rights women and birthing people have in maternity care
Birthrights has received legal advice stating that Trusts which prevent partners from attending scans, and don’t allow partners to be involved in the appointment remotely, may be acting unlawfully and unreasonably.
Thanks to new funding from Thirty Percy and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, we are thrilled to be adding two new roles to our small but mighty team. We need a creative, inspiring communicator and leader to be our first ever Engagement Director. You will head up a new engagement team, working alongside the Programmes Director who … Read more
We have had hundreds of enquiries via our advice line about whether partners should be able to attend scans in person, and if not, whether a partner should be able to take part in a scan appointment remotely. This blog post explores the issues. Should partners be allowed to attend scans in person? Yes if … Read more
Reflections from our Chief Executive, Amy Gibbs. Each December, we reflect as a team on our achievements. 2020 has posed more challenges than any of us could have imagined – personally, professionally and for human rights in childbirth. Having only come back from maternity leave in October, I’m in total awe of the team for … Read more
Elizabeth Prochaska and Maria Booker from Birthrights, met with Sir Jonathan Montgomery (Chair of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH)) and Professor Meghana Pandit (Chief Medical Officer, OUH) on the 15th October 2020. This followed a meeting earlier this year on the 18th May to discuss OUH’s policy on maternal request caesarean (MRCS). At … Read more
This weekend, the letter below, drafted by Birthrights and Pregnant then Screwed and signed by over 100 MPs, academics, charities and campaigners, was sent to Simon Stevens (Chief Executive of NHS England and Improvement). The letter and the survey it refers to were covered in the Mail on Sunday. Dear Simon Stevens (the Chief Executive … Read more