Donna Ockenden to join MASIC as Patron

Wed 19th July, 2023

MASIC are delighted and proud to announce that Donna Ockenden will be joining us as a new patron on 19/07/2023.

Donna has more than 30 years’ experience of working within a variety of health settings, both in the UK and internationally, and is currently leading the independent review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Professor of Maternal Health at Warwick University and Chair of Trustees at MASIC, Professor Debra Bick said:

“I am absolutely delighted that Donna has agreed to support MASIC as a patron, given the pioneering work she is leading to improve the quality of care we offer to all women and their babies. This has to include better clinical training for those who care for pregnant and postnatal women and greater focus on timely identification and management of anal sphincter tears which too often persist as an ‘invisible’ injury. With Donna’s support as a patron, MASIC will continue to be the leading charity to support birth-injured women.”

Donna’s work on the independent review of maternity services at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, published in March 2022, was a landmark in the drive to identify failings in maternity care and improve healthcare for women and babies. One of the core findings of the report was a culture of not listening to women. The testimony compiled by Ockenden repeatedly shows a lack of compassion for women in distressing and traumatic circumstances.

MASIC CEO Chloe Oliver said:

“We are incredibly proud that Donna has agreed to be our Patron, supporting our work in preventing and advocating for women with severe birth injuries. Every year we get hundreds of enquiries and messages from women who have been injured and are suffering with the life changing emotional and physical consequences. More needs to be done to raise awareness of this ”taboo” issue. Having such a high profile Patron in Donna will help us achieve this.”

We are looking forward to working with Donna to continue the drive to improve safety for women and babies using maternity services in the UK, and to provide a voice for those who have suffered maternal injury.

Donna Ockenden said:

“I was really honoured to be asked to support the excellent work of MASIC by joining them as a Patron. My entire career in and around maternity services over more than 30 years has been focussed on listening to women and improving the safety of maternity care. I look forward to supporting MASIC with their vital work in preventing and advocating for women with severe birth injuries.”