Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership

Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships (MNVPs) ensure that service user voices are at the heart of decision-making in local maternity and neonatal services.  

The partnership listens to the experiences of women and families to plan, review and improve maternity and neonatal care. 

Meet your local MNVP team 

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board are working with The Care Forum and Evolving Communities to ensure that the voices of our local parents and families are heard. 

The Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire MNVP is made up of 4 people who all have experience with local maternity and neonatal care. 

Katherine Dawson – Strategic Lead 

Katherine has a background in mental health and acute NHS Trusts. She has led culture change and engagement programmes and has experience in service-user facing roles, vocational rehabilitation, coproduction, training and managing hospital departments. 

She has used most maternity services and has experience with high-risk pregnancies, fertility support, preterm births, birth trauma, transitional care, bereavement and pelvic health care.  

Katherine is of mixed English and Asian heritage and is passionate about supporting all parents and advocating for diverse communities. 

Lyndsay Andrews – Neonatal lead

Lyndsay has two children, born in 2012 and 2015, with her youngest born at 24 weeks. Her work for the MNVP involves visiting four neonatal units across Bristol and Somerset and having supportive conversations with families while gathering feedback to improve neonatal services.  

Since 2017, she has worked for various charities and services supporting neonatal families in perinatal mental health, and as a peer leader for NHS England. She is also a well-being practitioner focusing on the prevention of mental health issues using art and nature. Lyndsay is a member of the LGBTQI+ community. 

Rhoda Adu-Nti – Project Officer

Rhoda has lived experience of birth trauma and joined the MNVP to make a positive difference after finding the complaints process problematic. 

They believe aspects of maternity and neonatal healthcare need re-evaluating, particularly to benefit underrepresented and minoritised communities. They aim to amplify the voices of service users, inform service providers of findings, recommend changes, and collaborate to improve care standards.  

Rhoda leads on engagement with NHS Trusts and other providers while also listening to staff perspectives on changes needed for better outcomes. 

Rim Salah – Community Engagement Officer

Rim has a strong background in healthcare with experience across various settings. Their passion for community health grew from recognising the broader impact of healthcare initiatives on diverse populations. Coming from a minority background, they understand the need for better representation in healthcare and the importance of amplifying underrepresented voices.  

Rim is excited to collaborate with diverse community groups to improve health outcomes in Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire, ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard in shaping healthcare. 

Join the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership Committee 

Join the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership Committee as a volunteer member and be a part of the change in improving local maternity services. 

The MNVP has a committed group of volunteer members who help to co-produce and review service user leaflets and information, attend focus groups, join staff interview panels and much more. 

If you are interested in joining the committee please complete the membership form. Alternatively, you can contact the team by email at mnvp@bnssg.co.uk.