Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust is an integrated trust, providing acute and community health services. We serve two local populations; Greater Huddersfield which has a population of around 245,000 people and Calderdale with a population of 220,000 people.
Our maternity services provide care for over 4000 women giving birth each year across the Trust and within the Community.
The Born and Bred in Calderdale and Huddersfield Study is part of a group of Born and Bred in (BaBi) research projects all about families and children to help us to learn more about how families in our area and beyond can live healthier, happier lives.
All women booked for maternity care at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust will be invited to take part in the study by one of our midwives during routine antenatal appointments. If they are happy to consent and participate, health researchers will join data about mothers and children, looking into ways to improve healthcare and services through research and planning in our region and beyond.
Check out the BaBi Calderdale and Huddersfield website here: BaBi Calderdale and Huddersfield - CHFT
Michelle Jones- She qualified as a midwife in 2003 and have worked across a wide variety of clinical areas within maternity. Including leadership roles and as a maternity Matron overseeing community midwifery, birthing centres, antenatal clinics, screening, and specialist teams. Michelle have recently taken up the role of Consultant Midwife, providing strategic clinical leadership with a strong focus on improving outcomes, reducing inequalities, and championing evidence based, person centred care.
Her work has spanned system-wide maternity transformation to embed population health approaches and strengthen partnership working across our local system. Michelle is passionate about compassionate, equitable care and will be working with the CHFT clinical research team supporting BaBi, helping to ensure that local insight data and high-quality evidence inform service improvement and the ambition to reduce health inequalities across our Calderdale and Kirklees communities.
Melanie Struthers- She qualified as a midwife in 2009 and have worked as a clinical midwife in various settings but predominantly in the community and ‘low-risk’ birth settings. Malanie have also worked in family centred case loading models as part of a home birth team and continuity of carer team. She have always been passionate about bringing best evidenced care to birthing people and families to improve outcomes and experiences of maternity and childbirth. Michelle joined the CHFT clinical research team in June 2022 part time whilst continuing clinical hours. From February 2024 she have stopped working clinically and have increased her hours in research, as shebelieve that good quality research leads to improved care for our families. Michelle is committed to an ethos of social justice and recognise the importance of increasing access and participation in research for all, to help reduce health inequalities.
Rachel Walker -She qualified as a midwife in 2000 and worked in a wide variety of settings both community and hospital in different trusts from Newcastle to Kent and in between! Rachel have worked as a clinical research midwife since April 2024 at Calderdale and Huddersfield. She believe everyone should have the opportunity to be involved in research and think it's essential to move practice and policy forward in a positive direction. BaBi looks to include every pregnant person and their babies thus encompassing this inclusive philosophy and supports the health and wellbeing for future families in our local area.
Rachel be involved in raising awareness about BaBi and training midwives about the study as well as reviewing recruitment, data and potential projects alongside my work with other studies within the reproductive health and childbirth portfolio for the trust.