To mark Black Maternal Mental Health Week UK 2026, themed "Joy, Journey, Justice", Ann Remmers, Clinical Lead for Black Maternity Matters, hosts a deeply reflective and empowering conversation with Illiyin Morrison: midwife, birth trauma specialist, author of The Birth Debrief, and Great British Bake Off 2024 contestant.

In this episode, Illiyin explores her personal transition from clinical midwifery to establishing an independent birth debrief and perinatal trauma reflection service. Together, Illiyin and Ann examine how advocacy, motherhood, and mentorship intersect, address the realities of systemic racism in maternity care, and discuss why sustainable progress comes from "chipping away" at structural inequalities through local action, intention, and community spaces.

Key discussion highlights:

• The transition to birth debriefing: Illiyin shares why she stepped away from clinical practice and how documenting her own healing journey led to creating a structured listening and debrief framework for perinatal trauma.
• Midwife, mother, mentor: Exploring how advocacy underpins every role Illiyin holds, alongside her perspective on overcoming imposter syndrome by competing only with the best version of oneself.
• Nourishment and self-care: How cooking and baking serve as a crucial emotional and therapeutic outlet when processing heavy traumatic stories.
• Writing The Birth Debrief: The intention behind her book and why including dedicated chapters on Black maternal mortality was essential to equip readers with tools rather than fear.
• Chipping away at systemic disparities: A candid look at why maternity care disparities persist, why the current healthcare system operates as designed, and why hope lies in small, dedicated communities like Black Mothers Matter.
• Activating change and legacy: How spoken word and active listening inspire individuals to step out of passivity and remain engaged in driving change.
• Recommended resources: Why Illiyin recommends We Live for the We by Dani McLean and the healing power of immersing oneself in Black romance and melanated joy to counter negative societal messaging.

Programme notes

• Black Maternity Matters
• Illiyin Morrison
• The Birth Debrief by Illiyin Morrison
• We Live for the We by Dani McLean
• Black Mothers Matter
• Connect with Illiyin Morrison on socials: Instagram and LinkedIn
• Connect with Black Maternity Matters on socials: Instagram and LinkedIn

Got feedback or an idea for a future programme?

Contact us at healthinnowest.communications@nhs.net or via our socials: Instagram, LinkedIn or Bluesky

Find out more about Health Innovation West of England

In this episode of West Side Stories, Jamie Jewkes leads a discussion with fellow steering committee members of the South West Evaluation Online Network. Joined by Ruth Barker, Grace Shillito, and Emmanuel Defever, the panel explores the role, vision, and future ambitions of this free virtual group dedicated to health and social care evaluation.

They explore what unique perspectives they bring to the network, from clinical pragmatism and early-career views to mid-career curiosity, and reflect on building a safe space for peer learning.

They also look ahead to future priorities for the network, including answering the big "so what?" of evaluation findings, championing the value of timely real-world evidence, and driving inclusive public and patient engagement in evaluation.

Contributors:

• Jamie Jewkes – Project Support Officer, Health Innovation West of England
• Ruth Barker – Senior Insights Manager, Health Innovation West of England
• Grace Shillito – Evaluation Researcher, Health Innovation South West
• Emmanuel Defever – Evaluation Programme Coordinator, Health Innovation Wessex

Programme notes

Evaluation Online Network

EON on Bluesky

EON on LinkedIn

Get in touch by email: healthinnowest.evaluation@nhs.net

Got feedback or an idea for a future programme?

Contact us at healthinnowest.communications@nhs.net or via our socials: Instagram, LinkedIn or Bluesky

Find out more about Health Innovation West of England

In this fourth episode of Black Maternity Natters, Ann Remmers sits down with Dr Karen Joash, an award-winning Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Imperial College London. In a deeply moving conversation, Karen reflects on the "miracle of birth" and her lifelong commitment to supporting women through their most vulnerable and joyous moments.

Karen shares her own journey of resilience, from applying to medical school three times to navigating a healthcare system where she rarely saw herself represented. This personal history fuels her urgent work in health equity, particularly her exploration of "weathering" - the process where the chronic stress of racism leads to accelerated metabolic aging and poorer outcomes for Black and Brown mothers.

The discussion dives into how we can move beyond the "blame" often found in research data to address systemic barriers. Karen talks about how her team at Imperial successfully achieved equitable hemorrhage rates in just three months by challenging clinical biases, such as learning to recognise physical signs of blood loss that are often missed on darker skin.

Beyond the clinic, the episode explores the power of diversity of thought as a "gift" that fosters safer, more innovative healthcare systems. Karen also offers a preview of her upcoming project, "The Black Women’s Health Bible," a book designed to provide actionable solutions for the gender and racial health gap.

Join us for an inspiring conversation that challenges all of us to consider how embracing diversity can lead to greater peace, impact, and joy in our own lives.

Programme notes

Black Maternity Matters

Dr Karen Joash

NHS Race & Health Observatory

Tommy's - the pregnancy and baby charity

Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking by Matthew Syed

Connect with Dr Karen Joash on socials: Instagram and LinkedIn

Connect with Black Maternity Matters on socials: Instagram and LinkedIn

Got feedback or an idea for a future programme?

Contact us at healthinnowest.communications@nhs.net or via our socials: Instagram, LinkedIn or Bluesky

Find out more about Health Innovation West of England