Emma Danks

Dr Emma Danks is a Senior Lecturer in Midwifery at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Education, Health & Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton. Her work integrates clinical expertise, research, and education to improve maternity services, particularly for marginalized populations. She holds a PhD and is actively involved in qualitative research on female genital mutilation (FGM), clinical governance, and patient experience.

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education and Professional Practice
• BSc (HONS) Midwifery

Her research focuses on female genital mutilation (FGM), global maternal health, and amplifying silent voices in healthcare. She specializes in qualitative methods and discourse analysis, particularly in understanding the experiences of marginalized and hard-to-reach groups within maternity services. Her work emphasizes clinical governance and improving NHS service provision for FGM survivors.

Dr Danks' recent publications reveal a strong trend in qualitative studies on FGM, deinfibulation timing, and service delivery. Her research bridges academic inquiry with real-world healthcare challenges, often involving multi-stakeholder perspectives from survivors, partners, and healthcare professionals. These studies contribute significantly to policy and practice improvements in maternal health.

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health

Dr Danks supervises postgraduate research at Masters and Doctoral levels and has experience mentoring undergraduate research. She regularly peer-reviews manuscripts for national and international journals. Though specific grants are not listed, her role as a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham and her leadership in clinical governance projects suggest active involvement in funded research initiatives.

She has contributed to maternity transformation through early adoption of the 'Better Births' recommendations and collaboration with regional maternity services. Her work often involves interdisciplinary and cross-directorate teams focused on quality and safety in maternity care.