Waheeda Abbas the Genomics Midwifery Lead for the NHS North West Genomic Medicine Service Alliance and a cultural liaison midwife at Bolton Foundation Trust, was honoured with the Midwife of the Year title at the 2024 Nursing Times Awards.
Her recognition stems from pioneering a multilingual maternity resource designed to provide essential information and support to families with limited English proficiency.
The awards ceremony, held in London, celebrated the impactful contributions of nursing and midwifery professionals across 25 categories, highlighting the strides made in patient care and best practices within healthcare.
The judges praised Waheeda’s innovative "padlet" — a multilingual digital resource that enables patients to access maternity information in their preferred language. This tool has been a game-changer for families from diverse backgrounds, particularly in Greater Manchester, by helping to bridge language barriers and support equitable access to care.
Waheeda noted the importance of such resources in Manchester and Bolton, areas with richly diverse populations, where the padlet has empowered women to actively engage in their maternity journey and advocate for their needs. Many NHS trusts have integrated this resource into their maternity units, finding it valuable for enhancing patient engagement and reducing reliance on interpreters.
Huge congratulations Waheeda!