Mervi’s role involves developing national standards and clinical guidelines, as well as representing the RCM and midwives on several external advisory and working groups. Her current interests are in looking at the government’s agenda of public health priorities in healthcare and promoting a social model of midwifery practice.

Mervi is committed to normality in childbirth and believes that midwifery practice issues should be at the centre of all initiatives to improve maternity services. She is a co-author and editor of the Home Birth Handbook; Volume 2: Practising Home Birth, which aims to support midwives in offering women more choice in explaining birth options. More recently she has been involved expanding this portfolio by developing RCM Birth Centre Standards and Birth Centre Resource: a practical guide.

Mervi was elected President of the European Midwives Association (EMA) for a four-year term in September 2009 having served as a vice-President for one year. EMA is a non-governmental organisation representing midwifery association in 25 countries across Europe within EU agenda. Her role involves wider engagement with midwifery affairs in Europe and lobbying for humanising childbirth by developing woman-centred health policies and supportive health systems by strengthening national midwifery associations.