HRH The Princess Royal meets midwives at Manchester maternity unit
on 03 March 2022
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal met with midwives as part of the unveiling of a new helipad at the Oxford Road Campus, St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), as part of her role of patron for the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).
As part of her visit, HRH The Princess Royal visited the antenatal clinic and delivery suite at St Mary’s Hospital, which won Midwives Midwifery Service of the Year at the RCM Awards in 2021.
Midwives, maternity support workers, doctors and families of newborns welcomed HRH The Princess Royal.
She was informed about some of the vital research being conducted by the service to improve outcomes for babies and infants. She also spoke to staff from the bereavement services about the support families receive.
HRH The Princess Royal was accompanied by RCM’s Executive Director Birte Harlev-Lam OBE and RCM President Rebeccah Davies.
Chairman of MFT, Kathy Cowell, said: “We were delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to officially unveil our life saving helipad here in Manchester and to visit our renowned maternity services.
“The helipad has made a tremendous difference to how quickly our trauma teams can respond to emergencies which can be the difference between life and death.”
The helipad was built with support from a fundraising campaign ‘Time Saves Lives’ that saw organisations and individuals come together to raise money in just 12 months. £1.36 million was donated by the County Air Ambulance Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads (HELP).
Commenting on the visit, RCM’s Executive Director Birte Harlev-Lam OBE said: “When you work in a service as busy as the one at Saint Mary’s, it can be tricky to take a step back and appreciate what great work you’re doing. Having the Princess Royal visit today enabled staff to talk about their work and allowed them a much-deserved moment in the spotlight.
“We are incredibly grateful to have Her Royal Highness as our Patron and for the real interest and understanding she shows in the work of midwives, maternity support workers and the wider maternity team, who were able to showcase the wonderful work they are doing.”
Photo credit: The Royal College of Midwives