Octavia Wiseman

Octavia Wiseman is a Research Fellow at City St George's, University of London, working with Professor Christine McCourt on two major studies examining group antenatal care. She leads the process evaluation for the NIHR-funded Research for Equitable Antenatal Care and Health (REACH) Pregnancy Circles Randomised Controlled Trial and serves as country lead for the international Group Care in the First Thousand Days (GC_1000) implementation study. She joined City in 2015 as a Research Assistant and maintains clinical practice part-time as a caseloading midwife, Consultant Midwife, and parent educator at King's College Hospital.

Her educational background includes a Masters in Clinical Research from King's College London (2013-2015), a BSc in Midwifery (2008-2011), and a BA in English and Philosophy from the University of York (1983-1986). Before retraining as a midwife in 2011, she worked in publishing.

Wiseman's research focuses on group antenatal care models, particularly examining access to and experiences of maternity care for migrant women and non-English speakers. She has published extensively on the REACH Pregnancy Circles study, perineal trauma, and maternity service implementation. Her work demonstrates a consistent theme of improving equity in maternity care through innovative service models that address the needs of diverse populations.

Her recent publications (2023-2025) show increasing focus on implementation science, health equity, and the integration of postnatal care into comprehensive maternity service models. She has contributed to the adaptation of group care models beyond the antenatal period, extending through the first two years after birth.

• London Maternity & Midwifery Forum Team Award (2019) for work with the Lambeth Early Action Partnership (LEAP) Health Team
• Royal Society of Medicine John Horder Award (2018) for the LEAP multidisciplinary team
• Royal Society of Medicine Student Learning Disability Prize (2010)

Wiseman leads group care facilitation training and lectures on midwifery-led models of care, human rights in maternity care, and migrant women's experiences. She co-designed the Maternity Disadvantage Assessment Tool (MatDAT) with Claire Spencer, launched by the Royal College of Midwives in 2024. Fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and French, she brings valuable linguistic and cultural competence to her work with diverse populations.