Jane Sandall

Jane Sandall is a Professor of Social Science & Women's Health at King's College London, leading the Maternal Health Systems and Implementation Research Group. She holds an adjunct Professor position at the University of Technology Sydney. Her roles include co-leading the NIHR ARC South London Maternity and Perinatal Health Theme, contributing to the Tommy’s National Centre for Maternity Improvement, and serving as former Head of Midwifery Research at NHS England/Improvement (2021-2023). She is an elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (2024) and a NIHR Senior Investigator Emerita.

Education qualifications include a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology (University of Surrey, 1998), Master of Science in Sociology with special reference to medicine (Royal Holloway, University of London, 1991), and Bachelor of Science in Social Science (London South Bank University, 1990).

Her research focuses on safety and quality in maternity care, including birth outcomes, maternal workforce dynamics, escalation of care management, patient/family engagement in safety, and implementation of open disclosure to address inequities. Methodological expertise spans systematic reviews, qualitative/ethnographic research, and trials of complex interventions. Current projects explore midwifery continuity of care for high-risk pregnancies and interventions to reduce health disparities using routinely collected clinical data.

Scientific awards include an Honorary Doctorate in Health Sciences (2014), Know Your CLAHRC awards (2017), NIHR Faculty membership (2008), and participation in the Senior Research Leaders Programme (2012). She contributes to £22M in research grants and has a Google h-index of 72 with over 200 peer-reviewed publications.

Her advisory work includes collaborations with NHS England, NICE, and WHO committees, such as the STAGE Committee on Maternal, Newborn, and Adolescent Health. She co-leads a WHO working group on midwifery models of care and has influenced UK, US, Irish, and Australian maternity policies. Global collaborations span Australia, the USA, Canada, and Europe, addressing maternal mortality and morbidity reduction.

Labs/teams: Directly leads a 20-staff research group and contributes to the Tommy’s National Centre for Maternity Improvement. Active in international initiatives like the Lancet Series on Midwifery and the WHO STAGE Committee.