We support safe staffing in the maternity workforce

Marie trained as a nurse and midwife in Oxford from 1969 to 1974, moving to Nottingham with her husband’s job. Continuing to work full time whilst raising 2 daughters, Marie held several clinical midwifery posts before moving into managerial, audit and informatics posts at local and national levels.

She is co-author of Birthrate Plus® with 34 years of assisting maternity units in the UK, Ireland, Hong Kong, New South Wales, and Tasmania to use Birthrate Plus®

Marie is a Director in Birthrate Plus Associates Ltd and together with a small team of senior midwives and administrative staff support maternity services at local and national levels to use the Birthrate Plus® products and services. This involves looking at issues such as real time staffing using acuity tools, midwifery workforce planning and reconfiguration of services.

Richard has over 30 years experience of employment and skills – policy, practice and research, particularly in health and social care.

An economist, he has held a number of positions including working as a researcher in the House of Commons, as Director of Employment Relations for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, as a workforce commissioner for a Strategic Health Authority, as a policy adviser in the Department of Health and director of research institutes firstly at London South Bank University and then Bucks New University.

Widely published, he is currently the Professor of Healthcare Management at King’s College London. He was awarded an MBE for services to health and social care in 2015. He has been a Director of Birthrate Plus Associates since 2014. Outside of work he is a patron of the Science Museum, and an ambassador for the Aching Arms charity and can often be found watching rugby league despite being born in Berkshire.

Sally has over three decades of experience in nursing and midwifery across various roles and is dedicated to shaping midwifery practices through education, research, and leadership, aiming to ensure safe, high quality and compassionate care. Previously national lead midwife at the former Health Education England and Director of Policy and Practice at the RCM, Sally has a keen interest and strong background in workforce planning and development, joining Birthrate Plus Associates Ltd as Executive Officer in May 2025.

Sally advocates for midwifery on local, national, and international levels and is also committed to advancing career opportunities for Maternity Support Workers, having spearheaded the creation of the first National MSW Education, Competence, and Career Framework. She co-chaired the trailblazer group responsible for establishing the Registered Midwife Degree Apprenticeships and her contributions to the NHS and the Midwifery Profession have been recognised with an Honorary Doctorate from Birmingham City University and an MBE in the Kings New Years Honours.

Sally lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, sons and 2 German Shorthaired Pointers– they all keep her pretty busy! She loves skiing and holidaying in Cornwall.

Annette brings more than 20 years of experience as a senior NHS midwifery leader, spanning roles across clinical practice, operational management, and organisational transformation. Her career has included positions as a rotational midwife, ward manager, Supervisor of Midwives, Matron for Acute Maternity Services, Continuity of Care Lead, and Quality Improvement Matron. Across these roles, she has led significant service developments, championing quality, safety, and workforce redesign in maternity settings.

A qualified leader with formal leadership credentials and ILM coaching registration, Annette is recognised for her ability to drive improvement, support teams, and embed sustainable workforce solutions. Her work has consistently focused on enabling safer, more responsive maternity care by empowering midwives and ensuring staffing models align with the needs of women, babies, and the service.

Annette joined Birthrate Plus® in 2022, where her role has grown to encompass Deputy Executive Officer responsibilities. She now provides senior leadership to the team, delivery of Workforce Planning Assessments and the continued development and implementation of the Birthrate Plus® Acuity App. Her insights from decades of NHS experience inform her strategic contributions, ensuring that tools and methodologies remain robust, practical, and grounded in currently maternity service delivery.

Throughout her career, Annette has been a passionate advocate for the maternity workforce. She has led numerous NHS projects aligned with national maternity priorities, particularly those addressing workforce challenges, service pressures, and quality of care. She firmly believes that supporting teams and setting establishments correctly is fundamental to achieving the right staff in the right place at the right time.

During her time in the NHS, Annette worked closely with Birthrate Plus® to implement both the Intrapartum Tool and the Ward Tool, finding them essential for managing risk, staffing, and safety. She has used their reporting capabilities to enhance governance, inform Trust Board updates, and strengthen maternity dashboard reporting.

Annette lives in Shropshire with her husband. She is a mother of two daughters and became a grandmother in 2025. Outside of her professional role, she enjoys spending time with her family, walking with her cockerpoo Arthur, swimming, and playing netball.

Tash joined Birthrate Plus in July 2023. She has been a rotational midwife for 28 years and has worked in all areas of midwifery, at ward level as a Deputy Ward Manager and Ward Manager; most recently in an education role. She has extensive use of the ward acuity tool in her management role and good knowledge of the intrapartum tool.

She has a particular interest in education and is keen to develop training tools within the acuity app that midwives will find helpful and be able to support them in everyday work.