Dear supporters,

This week, I had the pleasure of taking your concerns about midwives' working hours to the very heart of the government. I met with Secretary of State Wes Streeting and Baroness Valerie Amos as part of the National Maternity and Neonatal Collective, a grassroots group feeding into the current investigation into NHS England maternity care. 

Over the past 9 months, the Collective has been developing a plan of solutions and recommendations to transform services, putting the most marginalised women and birthing people at the centre, and ensuring that staff wellbeing is prioritised alongside user experience. I'm proud to say that a key component of the Collective's plan is the establishment of a legally enforceable, role-specific cap on midwives' working hours, with a robust system of audit and accountability to ensure compliance.

In Wednesday's meeting at the Department of Health and Social Care, I explained that the current situation poses a clear and present danger to patient and staff safety. The Secretary of State and Baroness Amos appeared genuinely shocked and concerned. Whether this meeting will result in any real change - who knows? But at least we have been able to take our cause right to the very top. 

Thank you for supporting this campaign by signing and sharing the petition. It creates fantastic momentum and is such an important part of a multifaceted approach to activism. Please keep sharing the link and the QR code, and know that I'm so grateful for your help in making maternity care safer for everyone who experiences and delivers it.

All my thanks,

Leah