A Highland midwife has been named the best in Scotland.
Scotland’s Midwife of the Year by the Royal College of Midwives.
Frances Arrowsmith, from Sutherland, was awarded Scotland’s Midwife of the Year by the Royal College of Midwives for her passion and commitment.
She works in a community midwifery team at NHS Highland, supporting women through pregnancy, birth and beyond.
Sometimes travelling over 100 miles to reach patients in all weathers and seasons, Ms Arrowsmith was commended for her dedication to giving women in rural areas the same access to treatment they may get if they lived in cities.
Gill Walton, chief executive of the RCM, said: “Frances’ commitment to the women she cares for and ensuring they get the pregnancy and birth they want is truly extraordinary.
“She is passionate about ensuring women in rural areas get the same options about their pregnancy and birth as those in cities, which is exactly as it should be.
“She is also an exceptional leader providing support and guidance for her team, so they in turn can deliver the best possible care for women. She is a remarkable midwife, and a more fitting recipient of this award I could not imagine.”
Ms Arrowsmith received her prize at the RCM’s Annual Awards, which was hosted by presenter and musician Myleene Klass.
“A pleasure and a privilege to be part of a woman’s maternity care”
Ms Arrowsmith was modest about her award, mentioning the strong team she is a part of.
She said: “There are so many wonderful midwives in NHS Highland who would have been equally deserving of this award. I am very lucky to work with a fantastic team of dedicated midwives and a wider multi-disciplinary team of superb practitioners.”
The midwife is often on-call and has to be prepared to travel long distanced to rural areas whenever needed.
She has been known to seek accommodation away from home in order to be close to women who might need urgent care.
Ms Arrowsmith explained what she feels is they key to good midwifery care: “Good midwifery care is all about teamwork and hearing women’s voices and for me it has always been a pleasure and a privilege to be part of a woman’s maternity care.”
“Exemplary role model”
With staff shortages currently plaguing the NHS, Ms Arrowsmith’s willingness to help areas in need of extra midwives has been recognised by both the RCM and her team at NHS Highland.
NHS Highland’s deputy director of midwifery, Mary Burnside, said: “Frances was nominated by the midwives in her team who describe Frances as an amazing midwife, colleague and manager, whose kindness and compassion are infectious.
“Frances is an exemplary role model and her passion for maternity care means that she always goes the extra mile (literally in Sutherland!) for the women in her care and in supporting and leading the midwives in her team. Congratulations to Frances on winning this award, which is so well deserved.”