Television Series Spotlights Essex Midwives

A new fly-on-the-wall television series will showcase the experiences of newly qualified and student midwives working within the maternity unit at Basildon Hospital. Titled “The Young Midwives of Essex,” this program is an eight-part hybrid documentary-reality series airing on the UKTV channel U&W. Filming captured the midwives’ activities within the hospital’s maternity unit and also depicted trainees preparing for their examinations at Anglia Ruskin University. Participants among the staff initially expressed anxiety about the filming process but quickly adapted to the presence of camera crews. Mary Okae, aged 22, recently joined Basildon Hospital and described the simultaneous adjustments as significant. She informed the BBC, “You’re focused on your patient, focusing on their baby, and you’ve also got a camera right at the back of your head – it was a lot,” but also stated that “the more I did it, the more I calmed down”. The series additionally highlights Howie Katyumba, notable as one of the limited number of male midwives working in the maternity unit. The 33-year-old commented to the BBC, “It just shows that midwifery is diverse.” He further stated, “Midwife means ‘with woman’, so just being part of the team that looks after these people and welcoming their newborn has been a great experience.” He also remarked, “There’s just a defining moment when a baby is born, when you hear that first cry – it’s so good.” Grace Rungay, a 29-year-old from Dagenham in east London, is among the trainee midwives showcased in the program. She described balancing her roles as a single mother of two and a student midwife as a “juggling act”. She noted, “I do get a lot of messages from people saying ‘I wish I could do that job’ or ‘it’s my dream job but I don’t think I could do it’.” She concluded, “Well if I can do it, you can do it, so there’s no reason [why they can’t].” The BBC reported in January that England faced a deficit of approximately 2,500 midwives, despite a 7% increase in full-time equivalent midwife positions over the past ten years. In 2020, the Care Quality Commission assessed the Basildon unit as inadequate, with inspectors highlighting deficiencies in staff possessing appropriate skills and experience. The NHS trust overseeing the hospital subsequently hired 40 new midwives and announced it had secured nearly £2m in funding, leading to the unit’s rating being elevated to “requires improvement.” Personnel at Basildon express optimism that the upcoming series will attract more individuals to the midwifery profession. Kenny Ayeni-Yegbe, the head of midwifery & gynaecology, stated, “It’s a great job to do.” He continued, “It can be challenging sometimes, but when you actually look at the rewards – helping a woman through the pregnancy journey and then delivering the babies as well – it’s one of the most amazing things.” “The Young Midwives of Essex” is scheduled to premiere at 20:00 GMT on Monday on U&W. For updates on Essex news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.