West Hertfordshire-based Midwife supporting bereaved parents receives MBE in King's Birthday Honours List

A midwife based in West Hertfordshire who is dedicated to supporting bereaved families received an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List.

Watford-born Jane Scott, who works at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was honoured for her services to bereaved parents and the midwives caring for them.

She is the divisional lead for the bereavement project, she became a midwife in 2012, and has worked in nursing and care for over 25 years.

Jane noticed a huge void in the care for parents after the death of a baby and officially founded the National Bereavement Midwives' Forum (NBMF) when there were only six bereavement midwives in the UK. Eleven years later, thanks to Jane’s dedication, that number has grown to nearly 300.

Midwives receive support from the NBMF as the death of a baby is part of their daily working life. Giving these NHS employees clinical and psychological support is vital.

Midwives share best practice, helping to standardise care for parents across the UK, and push for improvements in care for families who are going through unimaginable pain. They ensure that care is tailored for all families, particularly those from black and ethnic minority groups.

Jane keeps her campaign at the top of the agenda by representing the NBMF at meetings of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Baby Loss.Jane is seconded from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, where she received the prestigious Chief Midwifery Officer's Gold Award for developing a renowned maternity bereavement service. She currently works with the West Herts’ bereavement midwifery team to improve and develop services across maternity, the neonatal unit, gynaecology and paediatrics.Jane said: “I feel very honoured to have received an MBE for my work in supporting bereaved parents. I care very much that the standard of care that all bereaved families receive is the best it can be and that the staff looking after them are well equipped to deliver it.’’“I would like to say thank you to everyone who has supported the NBMF and to all of my amazing colleagues across the UK who every day, support the very saddest families of all.’’