A review of midwifery leadership

Despite frequent reports criticising leadership skills in the profession, midwives have dedicated many years to increasing representation at the highest level. Elizabeth Maria Bannon, Fiona Alderdice and Jennifer McNeill explore the many decades of progress The ineffectiveness of leadership across maternity services in England has been a recurrent theme over a number of years, with reports continuing to identify the same issues. These reports reflect the concerns previously identified by the Healthcare Commission in its review of maternity services in England, which drew attention to the links between poor morale and ineffective or authoritarian leadership, as well as highlighting the overemphasis on financial pressures, all of which were concluded to be detrimental to the care provided for women. This article will explore the history of midwifery leadership, examining the reasons why midwives in particular have been perceived as failing to have developed the necessary skills to lead and manage maternity services.