Birte Harlev-Lam, Strategic Lead, Maternity Services, NHS East of England

Birte Harlev-Lam started her career in the NHS 29 years ago as a general nurse. She qualified as a midwife in 1987 and spent the next 8 years working in all areas of midwifery before moving in to risk management and practice development. During this time she developed a particularly interest in service models and improvements. She became a supervisor of midwives in 1997 and successfully completed her MA in Health Law with Commendation in 2001.

Birte has worked as a Head of Midwifery in both London and Cambridgeshire and was a General Manager for women’s and children’s services in a North London teaching hospital. She took up post as strategic lead for maternity and newborn services in the East of England the beginning of this year.

Setting the strategic direction for services and driving the quality agenda for women and their families in the East of England is an exiting challenge and Birte hopes to see this development becoming part of a maternity network in the future.