Speakers

Marlene has an extensive track record for the promotion of midwifery research locally, nationally and internationally. She was a panel member on the REF2014 where her knowledge and experience of multiple research approaches (RCTs, mixed-methods and qualitative designs) was highly valued. Marlene is currently Head of the Centre for Maternal, Fetal and Infant Research at Ulster University where she was awarded the first Personal Chair for Midwifery research in Ireland in 2006. She remains the only midwife in Ireland to hold this prestigious position.

Jackie has been a practising midwife since 1985. She has had a variety of posts both overseas and in the UK all based in the clinical setting. These include HIV Specialist Midwife, a Research and Development Midwife at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and a full time supervisor of midwives at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. She has held two clinical governance midwife posts: at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. She has successfully completed studying for a doctorate at City University on postnatal care and has also published extensively.

Victor is jointly appointed between Ulster University (UU) and South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust (SET), wherein his primary role and remit within the Trust is the proliferation of a culture of research and practice development. Following dual qualification in mental health (RMN) and general adult (RGN) nurse training, he served various appointments in Northern Ireland (NI) and London as a Community Psychiatric Charge Nurse (CPN) in generic mental health and general adult clinical settings, before specialising in the clinical specialism of addictions. He has been employed in clinical (primary & secondary care), managerial, educational and research roles. Within the School of Nursing at UU, Victor is Leader in Addiction Studies and module leader coordinator for Promoting Health & Well Being in Mental Health Settings. He has completed a Master of Medical Sciences Degree in Addictions Studies within the Faculty of Medicine, Queen’s University Belfast and is currently registered at UU as a PhD student. The subject of his thesis is ‘Alcohol & Pregnancy’.

Alison qualified as a midwife in 2003 and has held clinical posts as a Delivery Suite Sister and Risk Midwife. During her career she pursued postgraduate study and gained an MSc in Advanced Professional Practice Leadership and Management in 2014 and recently completed her PhD with Ulster University exploring the online medication purchasing behaviour of pregnant women in 2020. Alison has developed a specialist interest in high risk maternity services and sharing learning from adverse incidents in clinical practice to safeguard women and improve quality of care. She is currently working as a Midwife Consultant at the Public Health Agency.