University Hospitals North Midlands (UHNM)’s first EDI Midwife earns Rising Star Honour
UHNM’s first Midwifed dedicated to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion scoops rising star award for her innovation and effective initiatives.
Keelie Grindley was appointed as Lead midwife for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at UHNM in November 2024 with the aim to improve outcomes for those from marginalised groups and communities in the region and educate staff on equitable maternity care.
The role includes ensuring fair treatment and equal opportunity is available for the maternity workforce at UHNM while making the environment accessible and inclusive for both patients and staff.
Keelie, who qualified as a midwife two years ago says the role of EDI lead midwife is her dream job.
Keele said: “Throughout my time as a student midwife and into qualification I always had a passion for health inequalities in maternity services. After representing my Trust at the Black Maternal Health Conference back in 2024, I developed a training package for equity in maternity care for ethnic minority women which I now deliver to midwives and obstetrics whilst also working clinically. I then took on this specialist role in 2024 working towards providing equitable care and improving outcomes for those in marginalised communities such as black and brown communities, asylum seekers, deaf, blind communities, gypsy roma and LGBTQ.
“A large amount of my work is to improve outcomes for global majority women and birthing people because the data over the last five years has shown us that they're massively at risk of morbidity and mortality in maternity in the UK compared to white women. My role is to look to close these gaps regionally, by developing equitable and accessible services and developing education for the maternity workforce.
"I've done a few inclusive walk arounds in the maternity unit with profoundly deaf women for example to understand if they feel safe, welcome, safe, represented and it's really good to get patient input so we can make change. It’s really important work and I believe that small steps, small goals, will hopefully amount up to something bigger.
“My role also allows me to work both onsite at UHNM and in the community, which is great as a large aim of mine was to start bespoke antenatal education for the asylum-seeking community in Stoke-on-Trent, creating a safe place for vulnerable people which I am really proud of.”
Due to her work and advocacy for equality within maternity services, Keelie was nominated for the Rising Star Award at the Black Maternal Health Awards UK which celebrates excellence across maternal healthcare. Together, they recognise outstanding contributions in care quality and access, maternal mental health, policy change, education and empowerment, and community support networks.
Keelie was nominated following her work on social media, which she uses as an educational platform focused on EDI in maternal healthcare.
The rising star category celebrates and recognises innovation, impact achieved within an early career and community engagement and responsiveness.
On receiving the award, Keelie added: “I couldn’t believe it to be honest. Considering I haven’t been qualified that long I was just really happy to be nominated and attend the awards, so to take the rising star award away was really special and I am really proud. A couple of colleagues from UHNM attended the awards with me and it was great for them to come away feeling very inspired because equality, diversity and inclusion is not just my responsibility, they can also learn how to create sustainable change and take that back to work with them.”
