Birth Advocacy in
Gloucestershire & Beyond
•Holding Systems Accountable •
• Amplifying Women’s Voices • Inspiring Change•
Welcome to my Birth Advocacy Collection
— a dedicated space for birth workers, midwives, doulas,
activists, and community allies who care about the future of maternity care in Gloucestershire and beyond.
Here, I share my ongoing work in policy analysis, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests,
template letters, and local advocacy,
shining a light on what’s really happening behind the scenes in our maternity services.
My goal is to make this information transparent and usable
— to support those striving for continuity, compassion, and genuine co-production in birth care.
Whether you’re a professional looking to improve practice,
or a parent determined to protect your rights, you’ll find tools, evidence, and reflections here to help fuel meaningful change.
Template Letters For Home Birth Closures - Reinstate Safe Skilled Midwifery Care
Following the ongoing suspension of Gloucestershire’s home birth service, women are left without real choice or continuity of care.
This post brings together template letters for writing to the NHS Trust, ICB, MPs, local media, and even family and friends — calling for safe, skilled, woman-centred midwifery care to be reinstated.
It also includes my correspondence with the Director of Midwifery, her unsatisfactory response, and why I’ve now escalated these questions through Freedom of Information requests to demand transparency and accountability.
Nearly £20 Million Paid Out in Birth Injury Claims — What This Really Tells Us About Maternity Care
Nearly £20 million has been paid out in birth-injury claims by Gloucestershire Hospitals since 2020 — but what these figures really show is a system that’s failing women and families. This post explores how the loss of continuity of care has made maternity services less safe, and why rebuilding small, trusted teams could save lives — and money.
Co-Production or Consultation? What Gloucestershire’s Maternity Papers Reveal — and Why True Collaboration Matters
After submitting Freedom of Information requests to Gloucestershire NHS bodies, I examined the documents claimed as evidence of “co-production” in maternity services. What I found was activity without accountability — meetings, events, and reports that spoke the language of collaboration but delivered little change. Here’s what the papers reveal, and why true partnership still matters.After submitting Freedom of Information requests to Gloucestershire NHS bodies, I examined the documents claimed as evidence of “co-production” in maternity services. What I found was activity without accountability — meetings, events, and reports that spoke the language of collaboration but delivered little change. Here’s what the papers reveal, and why true partnership still matters.
Prestwich Home Birth Tragedy and How Lack of Continuity Costs Lives
Jennifer’s story isn’t about reckless choices — it’s about a reckless system.
A system that replaces relationships with flow charts and calls it safety.
Continuity of care saves lives.
Fear and fragmentation cost them.