Helen Stanley

My role within Leigh Day is to lead the Medical Negligence Triage team.

I began my career in medical negligence in 2018 and I bring 25 years' NHS experience to this role. As a medical professional, I have a depth of knowledge to support new clients as they come to us for the first time.

I qualified as a midwife in 1996 and I am now considered experienced and senior within my field. Over the years I have gained skills in all areas of midwifery including antenatal, intrapartum (labour) and postnatal care. I have worked on labour ward, in theatre, and in birth centre environments.

As well as being a well-established hospital midwife, I have also worked in community midwifery and private healthcare. More recently, I have developed as a senior midwife on Maternity Triage within a busy consultant led maternity unit which has challenged and developed my decision-making skills. As an area of midwifery which is under extreme pressure, this insight is invaluable to my work at Leigh Day.

To support my role at Leigh Day, I remain a qualified midwife on the NMC register, and I am fully up to date with guidelines and procedures. These skills are important when I am discussing enquiries with potential new clients, as I fully understand the medical language, the procedures they have endured and can empathise with them as they discuss their experiences.

As well as supporting birthing people and their partners through childbirth and becoming a family, I have also been there on their darkest days. Supporting families as they navigate baby loss, delivering their babies sleeping, caring for them in the early days and in the years to come, is the hardest part of being a midwife but has always been a privilege. These families have taught me compassion, understanding and empathy that I share with my NCE team. Enabling us to welcome and support our new clients as they begin their journey with Leigh Day.

Outside of Leigh Day I continue to work as a midwife on an ‘ad hoc’ basis. I also write expert midwifery reports for the court on medical negligence claims in obstetrics, including stillbirth, cerebral palsy and maternal injuries such as 4th degree tears. I also regularly lecture at Manchester and Salford Universities to student midwives and post-graduate midwives on litigation in obstetrics. This encourages learning from incidents and supporting our next generation of midwives to practice safely and with confidence.

Education

The Manchester College of Midwifery and Nursing – Diploma in Professional Studies (Midwifery) Pre-Registration 1993-1996.

The University of Manchester – BSc (hons) Midwifery 2014.

Membership

Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
Royal College of Nursing (RCN)