Mary Jobson, Matron for Community Midwifery Services/ Antenatal & Postnatal Ward at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, has been appointed as a Workforce Clinical Research Fellow.
Mary joins the NIHR Workforce Voices team at a significant point her career, celebrating 18 years as a registered midwife.
In her established role, Mary oversees community midwifery services, including antenatal and postnatal care. She has been a strong advocate for continuity of carer models, helping teams deliver more personalised support that is linked to better outcomes for mothers and babies.
Her new fellowship builds on this foundation by focusing on workforce-related research — exploring ways to strengthen staffing, support staff wellbeing and development, and embed evidence-based practice more deeply into everyday midwifery care.
The role allows experienced clinicians like Mary to stay closely connected to frontline services while contributing to studies that translate into practical improvements for staff. This dual approach helps ensure research findings are relevant and more readily used to enhance local maternity services.
Reflecting on the appointment, Mary said:
Becoming a Workforce Clinical Research Fellow is a proud moment. It is an exciting opportunity to help identify practical solutions that support the people who care for women and families every day. When our midwives feel valued and supported, the care they provide is safer and more compassionate.
“Improving outcomes for women and babies will always remain at the heart of our profession. Achieving that ambition requires a workforce that is valued, supported and able to thrive. This fellowship gives us the chance to listen carefully to the experiences staff, and to use that real-world feedback to drive improvements in local maternity care”, added Mary.
Mary also emphasised the value of evidence in creating lasting change for families:
“Workforce research helps us understand what supports recruitment and retention, and how we can create environments where midwives can deliver the high-quality, continuous care families need. By combining lived experience with robust research, we can keep our services at the forefront of modern, evidence-based maternity care.”
Looking to the future of local maternity services, Mary said:
“I am excited by the opportunity to develop new skills and contribute to evidence that makes a real difference on the wards and in the community. Most importantly, this work will help amplify the voices of those delivering care and those receiving it, so that local maternity services continue to improve for the families we serve.”
Highlighting the benefits for local families, Karen Parker, Associate Director of Midwifery/SCBU, commented:
“We are immensely proud of Mary on her appointment. For our women, babies, and families, having our frontline leaders involved in national research means that the care we deliver is informed by the latest evidence. When we invest in supporting and developing our midwives, it translates into a safer care and a more personal experience for everyone using our maternity services.”
For healthcare staff who are interested in finding out more, there are other workstreams available in addition to the maternity staffing workstream. Find out more at www.workforcevoices.org.
Congratulations Mary from everyone at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust.