That is literally what NHS induction tells every new starter to do. Turns out that part of the training was more of a suggestion. What came back was the full institutional playbook. She was falsely accused of being responsible for a baby’s death.

Her employer sent her a cease and desist letter after her exit interview, presumably to make sure she left quietly and rattled. And a member of NHS management gave her a friendly heads up on the way out: … “Whistleblowers go missing overnight” An actual NHS manager said that. Out loud. To a midwife who raised a patient safety concern. Somewhere there is a training manual that badly needs a rewrite.

On 9 April 2024, Victoria handed back her Nursing and Midwifery Council @nmcnews registration and walked away from the career she trained 4 years for and loved every day of. She has not gone quiet since. She has spent the time building her own campaign, the With Woman Movement, touring the country talking to midwives and mothers about exactly what she saw on those wards. She says she is still being harassed for it.

The NMC @nmcnews, NHS England @NHSEngland, and the Royal College of Midwives @MidwivesRCM have had inquiry after inquiry, report after report. The wards are still dangerously short staffed. The system does not need another review. It needs someone to actually read the last dozen.