Tooting midwife nominated for award
Congratulations to antenatal midwife Hayley Sarpong at Tooting’s St George’s hospital, who’s been nominated in the Reducing Inequalities category at the London Maternity and Neonatal Excellence Awards.
Hayley has shared her story of her journey into midwifery from her family being homeless, and juggling three jobs to make ends meet, before finally winning a place to study at King’s College London.
She said: “Growing up in East London, I experienced significant challenges, including homelessness at the age of nine with my family, and trauma as a teenager. Despite these difficulties, I remained committed to my education and went on to study Midwifery before joining St George’s as a newly qualified midwife.
“I am passionate about tackling health inequalities and improving outcomes for women and families and have drawn on both my personal and professional experiences to advocate for those whose voices are often overlooked and ensure women receive compassionate, equitable care.
“Alongside my clinical role, I run a platform called HeyHayleys where I openly share my experience as a survivor of sexual abuse to support and empower other women. By creating safe spaces for difficult conversations, I help women feel seen, heard and understood.
“My commitment to reducing inequalities extends beyond the UK. I am of Ghanian heritage so I established MW2Ghana, which is a volunteer-led initiative aimed at strengthening partnerships between maternity professionals in the UK and Ghana.”
The London Maternity and Neonatal Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding achievements, safety improvements, and reduced health inequalities in maternity and neonatal care across the capital. The winners will be announced on 11 September.
📷 St George’s, Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Group