Lack of Transparency and Communication Failures
This timeline sets out my communications with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Integrated Care Board.
The first indication of the home-birth suspension came through a client of another doula. I knew the Trust could make alternative arrangements and that Independent Midwives have been contracted in many parts of the country during similar staffing crises. Time was clearly critical, so I immediately contacted several independent midwives to check availability, and reached out to both the Head of Midwifery and the Director of Midwifery.
When no answers came, I escalated to the CEO of the Trust and the CEO of the ICB — both organisations that have previously overseen independent-midwife contracting elsewhere. Despite copying in senior staff to ensure the emails were seen, I received no response from either CEO.
At the same time, I began contacting MPs and councillors to alert them to the situation.
I then drafted an open letter outlining the relevant law, the statutory duties around choice of birth place and public involvement, and the rationale for urgent action. That letter gathered 150 signatures, many accompanied by deeply troubling accounts of how this suspension is already affecting women and families across Gloucestershire.
The following correspondence was sent to me directly by Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust / NHS Gloucestershire ICB staff in their professional capacity. Personal information has been redacted. The content is published in the public interest due to its relevance to maternity service changes and statutory public-involvement duties.
Tuesday 4th November 2025 13:27
URGENT ACTION NEEDED Re: Home-birth suspension – immediate mitigations & continuity options
To: "MORRALL, Dawn (NHS GLOUCESTERSHIRE ICB - 11M)" <d.morrall@nhs.net>, "STEPHENS, Lisa (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <lisa.stephens10@nhs.net>, "COWAN, Joanne (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <joanne.cowan6@nhs.net>
Dear Dawn, Lisa and Joanne,
I’m writing regarding a woman who is currently booked for a home birth and may now be in the early stages of labour.
There is a qualified, insured Independent Midwife – Kat The Midwife, based in Cardiff (copied in here), who is available and willing to attend her.
Kat is NMC-registered and can provide immediate continuity and safe support, but the NHS team will need to contact her directly to arrange a short-term contract or honorary agreement.
Given that NHS home-birth support is currently suspended, I urge the Trust to make urgent contact to ensure this woman receives the skilled care that is her human right to receive, without delay.
I am also awaiting a contact to connect you with Zest Midwives, who provide insurance and funding frameworks for NHS–IM collaboration.
Please confirm as soon as possible that contact has been made so this can proceed safely.
Thank you for your attention and rapid response.
Best wishes,
Emma Gleave
Maternity Advocate
Emma’s Antenatal / Wildlings Ed CIC
📧 info@emmasantenatal.com 🌐 www.emmasantenatal.com
On 4 Nov 2025, at 14:16, STEPHENS, Lisa (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST) <lisa.stephens10@nhs.net> wrote:
Dear Emma, thank you for your email. I would like to encourage you to support this woman into our unit to ensure that she receives midwifery care. I understand how difficult this decision is for women, and we continue to take all of that into account, however for now our advice remains to contact our maternity advice line 0300 422 5541 or our delivery suite 0300 422 5542
Best wishes, Lisa
4th November 14:22
Re. URGENT ACTION NEEDED Re: Home-birth suspension – immediate mitigations & continuity options
To: "STEPHENS, Lisa (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <lisa.stephens10@nhs.net>
Cc: "MORRALL, Dawn (NHS GLOUCESTERSHIRE ICB - 11M)" <d.morrall@nhs.net>, "COWAN, Joanne (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <joanne.cowan6@nhs.net>, "LLOYD, Alex (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <alex.lloyd2@nhs.net>
Dear Lisa,
Thank you for your reply.
To be clear, the woman in question has exercised her legal right to give birth at home. She is aware of your advice but has chosen not to transfer to hospital.
There is an NMC-registered, fully insured Independent Midwife (copied in) available to provide safe, skilled care. The request is simply for the Trust to liaise directly to arrange a short-term contract or honorary agreement so that this can proceed safely, in line with the NHS Constitution commitment to support women’s choice of place of birth.
Encouraging a woman into hospital because the Trust has suspended its own home-birth service does not remove the Trust’s duty of care, nor its responsibility to support safe alternatives.
The Trust continues to receive funding for safe maternity staffing and is commissioned under the National Health Service Act 2006 to provide comprehensive maternity services that meet the needs of all women in its area. If those services are suspended, there must be transparency about where the allocated budget for safe staffing is being directed, and how equitable care is being maintained for families in the Forest of Dean and surrounding areas.
I would therefore be grateful if you could confirm that this woman’s choice will be respected and that urgent contact will be made with the Independent Midwife to coordinate care.
For reference, the European Court of Human Rights judgment in Ternovszky v Hungary (2010) affirmed women’s right to choose the circumstances of their birth, including at home, under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998. The NHS Constitution (2021) further commits that every woman has the right to informed choice of place of birth and continuity of safe, high-quality care.
Thank you for your attention and professionalism at this critical time.
Best wishes,
Emma Gleave
Emma’s Antenatal / Wildlings Ed CIC
Sadly, this woman did not feel able to remain at home — she was already in early labour, with no time to prepare herself or explore her options.
Once we became aware of the suspension, we focused immediately on ensuring that other women booked for home birth were informed and able to consider their choices. I drafted template letters for families to use, and we formed an advocacy group to support one another.
At the same time, I continued trying to engage Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust and the ICB in constructive communication, requesting information, accountability and clarity about the suspension.
5th November 2025
Urgent: Oversight and Accountability – Suspension of Home-Birth Services
To: glicb.enquiries@nhs.net, sarah.truelove@nhs.net
Cc: tracey.cox7@nhs.net, mary.hutton1@nhs.net, "COWAN, Joanne (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <joanne.cowan6@nhs.net>, "LLOYD, Alex (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <alex.lloyd2@nhs.net>, dawn.morrall@nhs.net, info@birthrights.org.uk
Dear Integrated Care Board Team,
I would be grateful if you could please forward this email to Sarah Truelove, Chief Executive of NHS Gloucestershire ICB, and provide me with the contact details of her Executive Assistant for ongoing correspondence.
I am writing in my capacity as a local birth professional and service-user representative regarding the recent suspension of Gloucestershire’s home-birth midwifery service.
A woman who had been booked for a home birth recently faced the last-minute withdrawal of midwifery attendance, and a number of women are booked in the coming weeks and months.
There are NMC-registered, insured Independent Midwifes available and willing to attend, but the Trust have declined to arrange short-term contracts or honorary agreements.
This raises serious questions about commissioning responsibilities, continuity of oversight, and the system’s approach to maintaining basic service provision when workforce pressures occur.
Home Birth – a Core Service and Human Right
Home birth is not a luxury or specialist add-on.
It is a fundamental component of maternity care and a basic human right, recognised under the Human Rights Act 1998 (Article 8) and reflected in the NHS Constitution commitment to informed choice of place of birth.
Ensuring this service is available is part of both the Trust’s and the ICB’s statutory duty to provide comprehensive maternity care.
I appreciate that times are challenging, but there are experienced and highly skilled professionals who could be utilised to re-skill hospital-based midwives whose practice has been limited to obstetric settings.
Working safely in a home environment requires a distinct skill set and level of confidence — something that has sadly been highlighted by the recent Jennifer Cahill case.
For reference, I have written about this and the implications for workforce safety and professional development here:
The Jennifer Cahill Case – Lessons for Safe Birth at Home
No Local Birth Services in the Forest of Dean
Women in the Forest of Dean now have no local birth services at all.
Over recent years, community provision has been steadily eroded — the closure of the Stroud Maternity Birth Unit, the loss of local clinics, and now the withdrawal of home-birth support mean that families in one of the most rural and deprived areas of the county are left entirely without access to safe, local birth care.
This represents a clear inequality of access compared with urban parts of Gloucestershire and is inconsistent with the ICB’s statutory responsibility to commission equitable and comprehensive services for its whole population.
ICB Accountability and Commissioning Duties
Under the Health and Care Act 2022 and the National Health Service Act 2006, Integrated Care Boards are required to:
Commission comprehensive and equitable healthcare services that meet the reasonable needs of their population;
Ensure continuity and integration across maternity and neonatal care; and
Monitor and intervene where provider decisions create unsafe or inequitable service gaps.
National guidance (Better Births 2016; NICE CG190) makes clear that home birth must remain a supported option, and that local systems must work collaboratively to maintain this choice wherever safely possible.
Information Requested
I would be grateful if the ICB could confirm:
Whether there are contingency arrangements or funding mechanisms to enable short-term contracting of Independent Midwives when Trust staffing shortages lead to suspension of home-birth services;
How the ICB is monitoring and mitigating the impact of home-birth and continuity-of-care withdrawals on women in Gloucestershire; and
Whether the ICB has issued or intends to issue guidance to Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS FT regarding communication with affected families, equality-impact assessments, and timelines for reinstating home-birth provision.
Many women remain unaware of these suspensions until very late in pregnancy, leaving them little time to make alternative arrangements.
The distress this causes has eroded trust between women, doulas, and Gloucestershire Hospitals, and transparency is urgently needed to rebuild confidence.
I would welcome a written response or the opportunity to meet with relevant ICB leads to discuss how we can restore open communication and safeguard choice for families across the county.
Thank you for forwarding this correspondence to the Chief Executive and appropriate Executive Directors, and for your attention to this important matter.
Warm regards,
Emma Gleave
5th November 2025
Urgent: CEO contact & PA details re suspended home-birth support
To: kevin.mcnamara@nhs.net, sarah.favell@nhs.net, lisa.evans30@nhs.net
Cc: "LLOYD, Alex (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <alex.lloyd2@nhs.net>, "STEPHENS, Lisa (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <lisa.stephens10@nhs.net>, ghn-tr.gloucestershirehospitals@nhs.net
Dear Sarah and Lisa,
I would be grateful if you could kindly forward this email to the Chief Executive, Kevin McNamara, and provide me with the name and contact details of his PA/EA for ongoing correspondence.
I am writing in my capacity as a local birth professional and service-user representative regarding the suspension of Gloucestershire’s home-birth midwifery service.
A woman booked for home birth recently has faced the last-minute withdrawal of midwifery attendance.
An NMC-registered, insured Independent Midwife is available and willing to attend, yet the Trust have declined to arrange a short-term contract or honorary agreement.
I am now seeking urgent clarity on the Trust’s duty of care, governance oversight, and use of safe-staffing budgets during this period.
Under the National Health Service Act 2006, every NHS Trust is required to provide comprehensive health services for its population and to ensure that these services meet the reasonable needs of women and families.
Further, under the NHS Constitution for England (2021), women have the right to informed choice about place of birth, and providers must give effect to these rights wherever reasonably practicable.
NICE Guideline CG190 reinforces that home birth is a safe, evidence-based option for most women and should remain available within every maternity system.
When a service such as home birth is withdrawn, the Trust must be able to show:
That the decision was properly risk-assessed and recorded;
That all reasonable alternatives were explored (including contracting independent midwives); and
That funds allocated for safe staffing continue to be used transparently and equitably across the maternity service, including rural areas such as the Forest of Dean.
In light of this, could you please:
Confirm that this correspondence has been forwarded to Kevin McNamara, Chief Executive;
Provide the contact details of his PA/EA; and
Confirm which Executive Director holds Board-level accountability for maternity services, so I can ensure future communication is appropriately directed.
I am keen to work collaboratively and transparently, but many women are currently unaware of what is happening. The short notice given to women whose home births were cancelled has caused significant distress and severely undermined trust between women, doulas, and Gloucestershire Hospitals.
Please could the Board provide reassurance about what steps will be taken to restore confidence, communicate clearly with service users, and meet statutory obligations going forward?
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for forwarding this message to the appropriate Executive leads.
Best wishes,
Emma Gleave
Emma’s Antenatal / Wildlings Ed CIC
5th November 2025 10:51am
Re: URGENT ACTION NEEDED Re: Home-birth suspension – immediate mitigations & continuity options
To: "STEPHENS, Lisa (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <lisa.stephens10@nhs.net>
Cc: "MORRALL, Dawn (NHS GLOUCESTERSHIRE ICB - 11M)" <d.morrall@nhs.net>, "COWAN, Joanne (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <joanne.cowan6@nhs.net>, "LLOYD, Alex (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <alex.lloyd2@nhs.net> >, info@birthrights.org.uk
Dear Lisa,
Thank you for your earlier responses regarding the recent suspension of the home-birth service. I appreciate that this situation places enormous strain on staff, but I’d like to ensure there is clarity going forward about the Trust’s ongoing duties and communication with women and birth professionals.
Under the NHS Act 2006, NICE Guideline CG190, and the NHS Constitution, the Trust retains a statutory duty to provide comprehensive maternity services that include all recognised options for place of birth. While home-birth midwifery cover may be paused, the duty of care and accountability for women choosing to birth at home remains with the Trust.
It is vital that communication during these suspensions is open and transparent. Many women have no idea what is happening or what their options are. The woman affected this weekend was given just days to change her entire birth plan — that is deeply distressing and undermines confidence in the system.
Trust between women, doulas, and Gloucestershire Hospitals has been severely dented. What will you do to reassure families and rebuild that trust going forward?
I would also appreciate confirmation of the following:
What contingency arrangements are in place for women who continue to choose home birth while the service is suspended.
How the Trust is ensuring transparency around how the safe-staffing budget is being used during this period.
Whether there is a timeline or review process for reinstating home-birth provision.
I remain keen to work collaboratively and constructively, but it’s vital that women in Gloucestershire — particularly those in rural areas — have clarity, reassurance, and confidence in their choices.
Thank you again for your attention and for all the work you and your team continue to do under pressure.
Best wishes,
Emma Gleave
Emma’s Antenatal / Wildlings Ed CIC
9th November 2025
Urgent: Home-Birth Service Suspension – Partnership Opportunity with Zest Midwives
To: shane.devlin@nhs.net, glicb.chiefexecutiveandchairsoffice@nhs.net
Cc: glicb.glosmvp@nhs.net, Tracy@zest-midwives.co.uk, katy@zest-midwives.co.uk, info@birthrights.org.uk
Dear Mr Devlin,
Congratulations on your appointment as Chief Executive of NHS Gloucestershire ICB and the wider cluster.
I am writing regarding the ongoing suspension of Gloucestershire’s home-birth service. Despite several attempts to engage with the current ICB leadership, there has been no substantive response.
The withdrawal of home-birth support has left women—particularly in the Forest of Dean—without any local maternity provision and with no clarity on when services will resume.
Families are now forced either to travel long distances while in labour or to give birth at home without professional support. Both outcomes are unsafe and inconsistent with the NHS’s stated commitment to equity, continuity, and community-based care.
Under the Health and Care Act 2022 and the NHS Act 2006, the ICB has a statutory duty to commission comprehensive and equitable maternity services and to intervene where provider decisions create unsafe or inequitable gaps in care.
Home birth is not a luxury; it is a core, evidence-based component of safe maternity care.
NICE Guideline CG190 and Better Births (2016) confirm that planned home birth for low-risk women is as safe as hospital birth, with fewer interventions, higher satisfaction, and lower cost to the NHS.
Policy and governance obligations
NHS England’s Policy on Working in Partnership with People and Communities (July 2022) requires all ICBs to “work with people and communities as partners in decision-making at every level of health and care.”
The recent RCM publication Guidance for Transforming the Maternity Workforce (Section 1, Nov 2024) also emphasises the importance of role development, collaboration, and flexible partnerships to maintain safe staffing and continuity.
Furthermore, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s investigation into Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Trust (2012) found maladministration where maternity services failed to plan for known risks and did not explore reasonable alternatives when withdrawing provision.
Together, these documents make it clear that ICBs must demonstrate imaginative, proportionate solutions when services are withdrawn.
Introducing Zest Midwives – a compliant, ready-to-implement solution
Recently, the Head of Midwifery in Gloucestershire stated that the Trust cannot contract Independent Midwives because “there is no mechanism for doing so.”
In fact, such mechanisms do already exist.
Zest Midwives is a national organisation that creates safe contractual and indemnity frameworks between NHS Trusts and Independent Midwives, enabling rapid, compliant deployment when services are under strain.
Zest has a proven track record of success across multiple NHS Trusts and Health Boards. Their model fulfils every requirement of the policies cited above—governance, insurance, oversight, and community partnership—and can restore home-birth provision safely and quickly.
Contracting Independent Midwives through Zest would:
Provide immediate cover for booked home births and prevent unassisted births.
Reduce pressure on overstretched hospital staff.
Enable experienced practitioners to mentor and re-skill NHS community midwives.
Rebuild public confidence and demonstrate the ICB’s commitment to partnership-based reform.
Request
I would be grateful if you could confirm that the ICB will:
Review the current suspension of home-birth services and the commissioning implications.
Meet with Zest Midwives as a matter of urgency to explore contracting options.
Provide a written update outlining contingency plans and timelines for restoring equitable home-birth provision.
I am copying Tracy from Zest Midwives into this email, as she would be happy to provide further detail or meet with your maternity commissioning leads to discuss implementation.
Thank you for your time and for considering a solution that upholds both safety and women’s rights while supporting the workforce.
Yours sincerely,
Emma Gleave
Emma’s Antenatal / Wildlings Ed CIC
www.emmasantenatal.com
9th November
Follow-Up: Contracting Independent Midwives and Home-Birth Service Suspension
To: "COWAN, Joanne (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST)" <joanne.cowan6@nhs.net>
Cc: Gillian , tracy@zest-midwives.co.uk, katy@zest-midwives.co.uk, info@birthrights.org.uk
Dear Joanne,
I’m writing in response to your previous correspondence, regarding the suspension of Gloucestershire’s home-birth service.
I understand from my colleague Gillian that you beleive there is currently no process or mechanism within the Trust to contract Independent Midwives.
I wanted to follow up on that point, as there are established frameworks being used successfully by other NHS Trusts across the UK.
I would like to introduce Zest Midwives, who specialise in supporting NHS organisations to establish contractual, indemnified partnerships with Independent Midwives.
Their work enables local maternity systems to maintain safe, equitable services when home-birth teams are under pressure — without breaching NHS governance, insurance, or employment frameworks.
Zest are already working with several NHS Trusts and Health Boards across the country who have used this model effectively to maintain home-birth provision and re-skill their community midwives.
I believe this represents a practical, safe, and compliant solution that Gloucestershire could adopt immediately.
Under the Health and Care Act 2022 and NHS Act 2006, the Trust and the ICB have a duty to ensure comprehensive and equitable maternity services. National guidance, including NICE Guideline CG190 and Better Births (2016), identifies home birth as a safe and evidence-based option for low-risk women.
Under the NHS England Policy on Working in Partnership with People and Communities (2022) and the RCM’s Transforming the Maternity Workforce (2024) both require Trusts to act collaboratively, flexibly, and creatively to maintain safety, choice, and community-based care.
I would also draw your attention to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s findings (2012) in relation to Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Trust, where maternity services were found guilty of maladministration after failing to plan adequately for known risks and not exploring reasonable alternatives when withdrawing provision.
The situation in Gloucestershire bears significant similarity, and it is important that the same procedural standards are upheld here.
Given this, I would strongly encourage the Trust to revisit this decision jointly with the ICB, who hold commissioning responsibility for maternity care and have the authority to commission interim or alternative services where gaps occur.
I am copying in Tracy from Zest Midwives, who would be pleased to provide more information or meet with your team to outline how the process works in other areas.
This partnership would:
Provide immediate cover for booked home births and prevent unassisted births.
Relieve pressure on hospital midwives.
Support skill-sharing and mentoring within the community midwifery workforce.
I hope this may open up a more constructive conversation about practical ways forward that ensure women are not left without safe and supported options for birth.
Kind regards,
Emma Gleave
Emma’s Antenatal / Wildlings Ed CIC
www.emmasantenatal.com
There has been virtually no meaningful response.
My repeated requests for information — and the clear reminders of the legislation and governance requirements — seem to fall on deaf ears.
Either the system is so overwhelmed and panicked that senior leaders simply cannot respond, in which case someone external needs to step in and take control,
or
they believe they are not actually required to follow the legal duties that govern their roles, and feel able to decide what to tell women after they have settled on a narrative.
Neither scenario reflects transparency, partnership, or co-production.
The only direct engagement I have had is with the Head of Midwifery, Joanne Cowan. I have no doubt she is under enormous pressure from above and is doing her best in an impossible environment. But several mothers have now told me that, in their conversations with Joanne, they were informed the suspension would last at least six months — which contradicts the Trust’s public statements and the emails I have received.
I have also requested information about the MNVP, because once again the Trust is claiming to be “working with the MNVP” as proof that they are listening to women. Yet the 160 voices on the open letter are being ignored, and there is still no evidence whatsoever of genuine user involvement in the decisions that removed home birth and destabilised midwife-led care.
Every attempt to find a record of involvement leads only to vague “listening events” with no follow-up, no transparency, and no demonstrable impact on decision-making.
Exchange with Joanne Cowan Head of Midwifery
On 15 Nov 2025, at 13:26, Emma's Antenatal - Info <info@emmasantenatal.com> wrote:
Dear Joanne,
A quick follow-on from my earlier email.
Since we last spoke, I’ve now spoken with two mothers who were told directly over the phone that the suspension will be six months, and another who has had no contact at all — her team of midwives say they haven’t been given any information either. I wanted to flag this because it shows how inconsistent the messaging currently is. Women are being given different versions of events depending on who they speak to, and some are hearing nothing at all.
I’m not asking you to confirm a timeframe that hasn’t been formally announced — only highlighting that families are already being told six months informally, which is inevitably creating anxiety and confusion.
Mothers who are due to have their babies later also need clarity so that they may save up for additional care, or make a clear plan.
Anything you can do to move towards a clear, unified public update would really help stabilise the situation for the women caught in the middle of this.
Best,
Emma
On 14 Nov 2025, at 15:55, Emma's Antenatal - Info <info@emmasantenatal.com> wrote:
Hi Joanne,
Thanks for the clarification.
I’d like to understand the MNVP situation a bit more clearly, because there’s been some mixed messaging.
You’ve said there is no lead in post and hasn’t been for some time, but I was told recently that someone had been recruited. When you say “new members” will be in place in the New Year, do you mean actual post-holders — including a lead — or simply volunteers joining the panel? At a time like this the distinction matters, because without a functioning MNVP leadership structure there is no real mechanism for user involvement or oversight.
Families are being heavily affected by decisions made without any visible co-production, so clarity around who is actually in post — and who holds responsibility — is important.
Please do keep me updated on the date for the doula meeting.
Best,
Emma
On 14 Nov 2025, at 15:46, COWAN, Joanne (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST) <joanne.cowan6@nhs.net> wrote:Sorry Emma – no where in my email does it say that the suspension is 6 months ,
I will let you know when we arrange the meeting asap,
With regards to the MNVP – we have no one in post at the moment and haven’t for some time – We have Donna , from Somerset, who is giving us some limited support. We have just recruited some members to the MNVP and they will be in post by the New year ,
BW
Joanne
From: Emma's Antenatal - Info <info@emmasantenatal.com>
Sent: 14 November 2025 13:41To: COWAN, Joanne (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST) <joanne.cowan6@nhs.net>
Cc: LLOYD, Alex (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST) <alex.lloyd2@nhs.net>
Subject: Re: Doula MeetingsDear Joanne,
Thank you for coming back to me — I appreciate it, especially given how demanding things must be for the senior team at the moment.
I’m glad to hear there will be a meeting with doulas next week. Please do keep me updated with the date, as many local families are already turning to us for clarity and support.
You’ve mentioned the suspension is likely to last around six months. That’s a significant shift in local provision, and at the moment many women still feel very unsure about what is happening. Several haven’t received direct communication beyond the initial window, and some only learned about the extension through BBC coverage. A clear public update from the Trust or ICB would really help reduce anxiety.
I also wanted to mention that I’ve not yet heard from the new MNVP lead, despite being told my details would be passed on. I imagine it must be quite a moment to step into that role, especially now, but I would welcome the opportunity to be connected so community support can feed in constructively.
From my previous FOI work and MNVP investigations, I found evidence of many listening events, but very little showing user involvement in actual decision-making. With such major service changes underway, are there plans for genuine co-production at this time? Families here are feeling the consequences of decisions that they had no role in shaping, and true co-production would go a long way towards rebuilding trust.
Finally, as you consider next steps, I hope the Trust will keep all options on the table for maintaining safety at home, including collaboration with independent midwives. Other Trusts have used this approach successfully during staffing shortages, and it would reassure local families to know every possible avenue is being explored.
Thank you again for the update, and I look forward to hearing from you with the meeting date.
Warm regards,
EmmaOn 14 Nov 2025, at 13:20, COWAN, Joanne (GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST) <joanne.cowan6@nhs.net> wrote:
Dear Emma,
Thank you for your contact ,
As you will understand there has been lots to do for out senior leadership team ,
In answer to your questions :
- that there are doula and independent midwives meeting at the hospital- we plan to have meeting later next week and invite duolas- further correspondence to follow
- the suspension is likely to be 6 months- there will be more details to follow through the corrects ICB/Trust communication channels
- some women who are due to give birth very soon have heard nothing at all- a senior midwife has contacted all women who were due over the two week suspension and discussed options with them
- others have received phone calls- as above
- we heard that the suspension is extended through BBC news, although there is no formal statement- there will be further communications to follow
As you will appreciate any further communications will be discussed with the MNVP and our women who have booked with us first then the wider public,
I will send out a date for a meeting with doulas in due course ,
Hope this helps,
Many thanks
Joanne Cowan