A midwife working in Croydon has been named as “Midwife Of The Year” at the annual British Journal Of Midwifery Practice Awards.
Midwife of the Year: Thornton Heath-based Memuna Sowe
Memuna Sowe is lead midwife for vulnerable and marginalised women at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust’s Rainbow Health Centre, based at Thornton Heath.
“I’m proud of this award and want to dedicate it to our fantastic team in maternity and homeless health,” Sowe said. “They work across many disciplines and have taught me so much about providing great care.
“The vulnerable women we see are often very late in their pregnancy and, without our care, they and their child would be at great risk. We are very grateful to have the skills and resources to help them, so that they get the same maternity care as other mothers and their chances of a good future are improved.”
Sowe was presented with her award at a ceremony held at the Royal Liver Building in Liverpool earlier this month.
Croydon’s maternity team delivers almost 4,000 babies each year. The Trust’s homebirth team was recently shortlisted for Team of the Year in the Royal College of Midwives Awards.
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust runs the Mayday and Purley hospitals, as well as providing community health services at home, in schools and in 15 health centres across the borough.
Sowe started working as a midwife in Croydon five years ago and has focused on homeless health since 2015. In 2016 she was named Croydon’s Midwife Of The Year.
Many of the families Sowe sees have had a very traumatic life, and she has been nominated for her awards for her constant efforts on their behalf, going above and beyond her call of duty – even providing families with the basic necessities, such as nappies and clothes for their baby.
“We are overjoyed that Memuna has won. She and her team meet every challenge with skill and compassion,” said Ann Morling, the director of midwifery at Croydon’s NHS Trust.
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