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The honouring of Joan Donley, O.B.E.

Abstract:

The New Year's Honours List saw the recognition of Joan Donley and midwifery; it endorsed their value and paid tribute to the service midwives provide to the community. It also recognised giving birth at home as an accepted choice, domiciliary midwifery as a respected midwifery practice, and gave a final polish to the bridge which has built between hospital and community based midwives. Joan herself would, no doubt, be very relieved if I stopped there. She sees her O.B.E., which sits somewhat uncomfortably on her genuinely modest shoulders, as - while a little embarrassing for her personally - a matter for great pride for all midwives as a recognition of their worth nationwide. In this she shows her usual accuracy. Midwifery has become the brave new world of childbirth and struggled back out of the closet to re-claim the pride and skill it rightfully owns. The door has been opened, not only by professionals, but by the women of our communities, who want midwives to befriend and care for them through their childbearing, to bequeath the gift of an effective midwifery service to future generations.

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domiciliary midwifery practice, home birth, Joan Donley