Lesley Page was presented with the chain of office at the RCM’s sold-out Annual Event, which was held at the University of York.
Patricia Gillen, chair of the RCM board of directors, introduced Lesley at the event yesterday (14 June).
‘Lesley is very well-known to many of us and is respected as an academic, a midwife and a leader, but it is being a midwife of which she is most proud,’ she said.
‘We are delighted that the members have chosen Lesley as the new RCM president.'
Lesley said: ‘One thing that I’ve come to believe through my career is that being a midwife is a privilege and I believe in making midwifery better for women and babies.
‘I take on this office as a great responsibility and I believe we must make it our mission to make every birth a good birth and for every midwife to be the best that they can be.’
The past president, Liz Stephens, was presented with a bunch of flowers and thanked for her dedication and hard work.
Patricia said: ‘She is an enthusiastic, motivated midwife who has always been a very strong activist for woman-centred care and normal birth.
‘Her range of experience has meant that she was able to engage with our varied membership.’
While Lesley was inaugurated yesterday, she took up the role on 2 April.
She has already accompanied HRH the Princess Royal on a visit to the Lothian Birth Centre at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Lesley has also argued the case for the RCM’s
more midwives campaign at the WI’s AGM and persuaded the membership to back the motion.
