Presidents Message

Welcome to the BMFMS website. The BMFMS’s stated aim is to: "Improve the standard of pregnancy care by disseminating knowledge, promoting and funding research, contributing to the development and implementation of high quality training and providing a forum where issues relevant to pregnancy care are discussed."

In 2022, albeit a little delayed, we celebrated our 25th anniversary with a study day. This day including talks related to personalised care, holistic evidence based care on the labour ward, advances in fetal therapy, improving outcomes through the lens of inequalities and the future of our workforce, among others. It was a fantastic day celebrating how our speciality has progressed and developed. However, the last few years and recent reports into maternity care such as the recent ‘Reading the Signals’ report into Maternity and `Neonatal care in East Kent, highlight now, more than ever, the importance of our ongoing mission to promote excellence in all aspects of maternity care.

Despite being unable to meet at our annual conference the last few years, we have continued as a society to contribute to national initiatives such as Saving Babies Lives, RCOG guidance including COVID guidance, Perinatal Optimisation with BAPM and representation on many national and international committees. This important work continues to grow and I invite all our members to become involved via study days, applying to be part of the committee or contribution via opportunities on sub-committees. It is imperative that our contribution stems from the combined knowledge, wisdom and experience of our membership but also reflects our membership and more importantly, the women and families we serve.

BMFMS is committed to working with the Royal College and other specialist societies to ensure that the recommendations within reports into maternity services lead to real, sustained change with improved outcomes and maternity experience. We will continue to represent our members and provide a forum where the challenges of fully responding to these recommendations within the current system and funding structure are openly discussed and challenged.

I hope during my tenure as President, with the other members of the committee, to be able to represent all members of our community and to ensure that it continues to be a voice for all of those striving to provide excellent, woman centred, maternity care in challenging circumstances.

Prof Katie Morris
President BMFMS