Our Hero of the Month for August was Kelly Death, Clinical Research, Corporate Service Division.
Kelly is a Clinical Research Midwife who, through determined pursuit and skilled negotiation has worked to generate enormous change within the culture and working practices in midwifery. Solely as a result of Kelly using her position, passion and determination, the OBS UK study has opened at the trust. OBS UK (obstetric bleeding study UK) will make childbirth safer through introducing new equipment that can assess the optimal intervention to treat maternal bleeding.
OBS UK aims to concurrently change the culture in obstetrics to de-normalise blood-loss in childbirth. This study was complex to negotiate set-up, involving multiple departments and directorates. Kelly showed enormous integrity and grit in successfully in persistently working to overcome barriers to opening OBS UK; initiating, overseeing and supporting every department involved to understand the virtues and necessity of opening OBS UK at the trust.
Kelly’s unfailing thoughtfulness and kindness in supporting, explaining and guiding staff has resulted in many people being involved, and in doing so they have been upskilled within their areas of expertise, and beyond. Many staff have gained insight and skills in the requirements and practices of clinical research. As a direct result of the formal qualifications many staff have gained thanks to Kelly’s determination in opening OBS UK at the trust, we are more strongly positioned to positively influence the direct care and standards of people birthing here.
Inclusivity is impacted through Kelly’s actions because the safety of minority individuals more adversely affected in childbirth is being actively addressed and improved. Kelly has worked hard to ensure inclusion in clinical research for the OBS UK cohort- every birthing person at the trust can expect to receive safer care as a result.
Kelly’s input in to OBS UK has brought income to the trust to generate additional employment, raised standards of care and safety, and increased the capacity our staff have to participate in future research. Kelly’s determination in opening OBS UK has also resulted in the trust achieving record-breaking number clinical research recruitment numbers this year.
It cannot be overstated how the staff, patients and reputation and future of the trust will benefit from Kelly’s modest way of working – she is an inspiring colleague, and asset to the trust who embodies its values. Kelly deserves widespread recognition for her wealth of skills and achievement.