Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent

Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent is England’s first ever Chief Midwife. As the most senior midwife in England, she is responsible for driving forward world-class maternity care for mums, babies and families and she provides professional, strategic and clinical leadership to midwifery colleagues across the country. She is one of two National Maternity Safety Champions and visiting Professor of Midwifery at Kings College London and London South Bank University, and has held numerous senior positions in clinical practice, education, leadership and management. Over the last year, Jacqueline has assembled a senior team of midwifery experts to transform maternity care in the NHS and ensure the midwifery profession is being championed across England. Throughout the pandemic, Jacqueline has been leading a national response to unprecedented challenges to ensure that everyone using or working in maternity services has been safe whilst ensuring that the experience of care has remained as personal and special as mums deserve it to be. She has also regularly spent time working on the frontline, looking after mums and caring for new babies.