Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust makes two key maternity leadership appointments
Emma Hardwick appointed as new Director of Midwifery (working across both Bedford and Luton & Dunstable units)
Tara Pauley appointed as Head of Midwifery at Bedford Hospital
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has made two key maternity leadership appointments to strengthen its leadership team and continue to improve and develop services for mothers and babies at its two maternity units at Bedford Hospital and the Luton & Dunstable University Hospital.
Emma Hardwick has been appointed to a newly-created post as the Trust’s Director of Midwifery, and will lead both Bedford and Luton & Dunstable maternity units.
Emma joins the Trust from Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS FT. A hugely experienced nurse and midwife, Emma has worked in healthcare since training in 1983, largely in London and the East of England.
She said: “I am so pleased to have taken up this newly created post – it is an exciting opportunity to provide professional leadership to a fantastic team, to enable our staff to reach their full potential so that we can provide the best possible experience for families in Bedfordshire using our maternity services.
Tara Pauley has been appointed as Head of Midwifery at Bedford Hospital. Tara will join the Trust in April from Cambridge University Hospitals where she is Deputy Head of Midwifery. She said: “I am very much looking forward to joining Bedfordshire Hospitals and, as part of the new leadership team, working to improve maternity provision in our local area.”
Liz Lees, Chief Nurse at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, added: “We are thrilled to have appointed two leaders with Emma and Tara’s experience to join us at such an important time. With Ilene Machiva in post as Head of Midwifery at the L&D since March 2020, we now have a full midwifery leadership team in place, which is fantastic.
“The last year has been very tough for women using maternity services – not being able to have their partners there for certain scans at the height of the pandemic has been particularly difficult.
“I know that Emma, Tara and Ilene will do an excellent job of continuing our drive to improve services for women and their families, working with our dedicated teams of midwives, women themselves, and other partners, such as the Maternity Voices Partnership.”
