Reflections of a midwife: James Harris

What does being a midwife mean to you?

Being a midwife means being trusted at one of the most significant moments in someone’s life. It’s about combining clinical skill with humanity - listening, advocating, and standing alongside women and families as they navigate pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. For me, it’s also about working to make those experiences safer, more equitable, and truly centred on the needs of the woman. Ultimately, midwifery is about guiding people into parenthood safely, kindly, and without judgement.

Can you share a moment or aspect of your role that makes you proud?

What makes me most proud isn’t a single moment, but the collective impact of improving care. Whether that’s supporting a woman to feel heard during a difficult decision, or working at a system level to reduce inequalities in outcomes, it’s those moments where you know care has been safer, kinder, or more personalised because of something you’ve contributed to. There are individual births and families that stay with me, but it’s that cumulative impact over time that I’m most proud of.

What drew you to midwifery, and what led you to your current role at the NMC?

I was drawn to midwifery because it sits at the intersection of science, compassion, and advocacy. I was working in finance and knew I wanted to move into something that made a difference. I called the NHS careers line and said, “These are my skills what can I do?” and midwifery was suggested. From my first lecture as a student, I knew I had made the right decision.

Over time, I became increasingly interested in how we improve care not just for individuals, but across whole systems - through research, policy, and leadership. That led me to pursue a PhD, become a clinical academic, and work at regional and national levels, with the next step being my role at the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

What message would you share with other midwives this International Day of the Midwife?

Midwifery is a profession that makes a profound difference every single day, often in ways that aren’t always visible or recognised. I’d encourage midwives to take a moment to reflect on the impact they have - on individuals, families, and communities -and to continue to advocate for the care women deserve.

When we do our job well, families leave with the confidence, pride, and ownership of their experience - often unaware of the role we’ve played. That’s exactly as it should be. Our role is to empower, not to take the spotlight.

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