Dr Jane Sandall, Professor of Women's Health, King's College, London

Jane’s research has been theoretically informed by an academic background in the social sciences and has been concerned with two questions: 1) How does the social and cultural shaping and implementation of health policy influence the organisation and delivery of healthcare work, and the services and outcomes that women and their families’ experience? 2) How is knowledge, policy and practice shaped by, and mediated through new health technologies and what are the social, ethical and organisational implications of these?

Her previous research has ranged from exploratory to intervention studies using mixed methodologies to evaluate the implications of complex interventions has explored the appropriate use of technology in reproduction. For example, the social and organisational impact of first trimester prenatal screening technology, a Cochrane Review of midwife led care, a Cochrane Review of antenatal education, the impact of community based programme of caseload midwifery to reduce disparities and improve quality of care, and the development and field testing of interactive education for doctors and midwives to support women to have a ‘normal’ birth.

A second strand of research has focused on issues of quality and safety in maternal health care where Jane is leading a programme of work in the NIHR King’s Patient Safety and Service Quality Research Centre on Innovation and safety in service delivery and health technologies. Current research also includes working as a co-investigator on, Birthplace, a national programme investigating the safety of birth at home, in midwife led, and obstetric led units in England, where we are exploring dimensions of high quality and safe maternal health systems.

Jane has served on several national and regional expert working groups on maternity policy, and is a member of the national steering group for stem cell research in the UK.