A team of midwives and maternity support workers at Eastwood Park Women’s Prison has been nominated for a national healthcare award, recognising their dedication to supporting pregnant women in detained settings.
The team has been shortlisted for the Health Service Journal Patient Safety Award in the Maternity and Midwifery Services Initiative of the Year category. The awards are among the most prestigious in UK healthcare. They honour NHS teams who go above and beyond to protect patients and improve care, especially in complex or overlooked settings.
Providing maternity care in a prison environment is uniquely challenging. Many women face trauma, isolation, and uncertainty, yet the Eastwood Park maternity team ensures they receive the same compassionate and personalised care as anyone else. Supported by North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and NHS England South West Health and Justice team, the service is delivered by three midwives and two maternity support workers, offering care seven days a week.
Tracy Wharrier, Specialist Lead NBT Midwife for Eastwood Park Prison, added: “Working with NHS England South West Health and Justice team, we’ve built a service that puts dignity and continuity at the heart of care for women in detained settings.”
Mark Goninon, Interim Director of Nursing at NBT, said: “This nomination is a reflection of the strength of both teams in delivering high-quality, person-centred care in a complex setting. Their work is a clear example of NHS values in action.”
Currently, the team supports women at different stages of pregnancy or postnatal recovery. Their work includes running antenatal clinics, offering weekly parenting classes, and making daily wellbeing visits across the prison. They also care for women living on the Mother and Baby Unit, which allows eligible mothers to stay with their babies up to the age of two.
Beyond the prison walls, the team accompanies women to hospital appointments at Southmead Hospital in Bristol, including scans and consultations, and provides support during hospital stays. They are present during emotionally difficult moments, such as when a baby’s separation is planned by social services. Their consistent presence helps build trust and stability during what can be a vulnerable time.
“This nomination is a powerful testament to the team’s compassion and dedication in delivering maternity care within a challenging environment,” said Margaret Smith, NBT Community Matron.
Julie Northrop, NBT’s Divisional Director of Midwifery and Nursing, added:
“I’m incredibly proud of our Eastwood Park maternity team. Their unwavering commitment to safe, personalised care in such a complex setting is truly inspiring. This honour reflects the professionalism and humanity they bring to every interaction.”
NHS England South West Health and Justice team colleagues, Rachel Coke, Senior Health and Justice Commissioning Manager, and David Read, Clinical Nursing and Quality Manager, said: “Being shortlisted for the HSJ Patient Safety Awards alongside North Bristol NHS Trust is an incredibly proud moment for the team. Our ambition has always been to ensure that women at HMP Eastwood Park have the same access to maternity care as in the community - providing trauma-informed personalised care, centred on the woman, her baby and family.”
The winners of the HSJ Patient Safety Awards will be announced on 15 September.