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Jane Sandall
Jane Sandall

Professor Jane Sandall CBE

Professor of Social Science and Women's Health

Research interests

  • Women

Biography

Professor Jane Sandall is a midwife and social scientist and has been conducting research in the maternal health care field for 25 years. Her research draws on the clinical and social sciences and focuses on implementation and impact of safety and quality strategies at a system and frontline level. Key themes include models of care to improve co-ordination, staffing, skillmix and outcome, escalation pathways for the critically ill. Recent research includes leading implementation research in hybrid effectiveness implementation trials looking at the effectiveness and implementation of complex interventions. For example: behavioural interventions in pregnant women who are obese, CRADLE, an automated device used by frontline health workers to improve detection of shock and hypertension in low income countries, the implementation of telemedicine in intensive care and implementation of a fetal growth assessment programme.

Jane is leading research looking at how midwife continuity of care may improve quality of care, experience and outcomes for women at higher risk of pre-term birth and a programme on reducing the impact of inequity on experience and outcome for disadvantaged and BAME women and infants. Her research in low- and middle-income settings includes the implementation assessment in MRC funded CRADLE trial, which was awarded the Newton Prize, health service research in GCRF-funded PRECISE, and maternal health systems strengthening research in NIHR funded King’s College London Global Health Research Unit (ASSET). Jane also contributed to the Lancet series on Midwifery and Caesarean Section.

Jane has been an advisor in the areas of maternity care, midwifery policy and practice to government departments and agencies. These include National Maternity Strategy Steering Group external advisor – Ireland (ministerial appointment), and she currently contributes to NICE Implementation Strategy Group, NHS England Maternity transformation: Continuity of Carer Expert Group, NIHR Advanced Fellowship Panel, MRC-NIHR Global Maternal and Neonatal Health Panel, RCOG-SANDS Research Advisory Committee, WHO South-East Asia Region Technical Advisory Group for Women’s and Children’s Health (SEAR-TAG), and WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group of Experts (STAGE) for maternal, newborn, child, adolescent health and nutrition.

Jane has been an NIHR Senior Investigator since 2015 and was awarded a RCM Honorary Fellowship in 2019, Society of Reproductive and Infant Psychology 2018 lecturer prize for outstanding contributions to research in 2018, Distinguished Visiting Professor Award, University of Technology, Sydney in 2017 and honorary doctorate in 2014, a CBE in 2016, and a King’s Supervisory Excellence Award in 2014.

    Research

    global
    Global Maternal Health

    Global Maternal Health

    hypertension 2
    Maternal Hypertension

    hypertension_685x200px_Banner The Hypertension group strategy focuses on improving outcomes for women with hypertension in pregnancy

    News

    Seeing the same midwives improves birthing experience for high-risk mothers

    Seeing the same midwives throughout the perinatal period makes a substantial difference to a women’s feelings of calm and confidence during pregnancy and...

    Midwife and patient

    New tool to help improve maternity care secures funding for NHS trial

    A tool that enables midwives and doctors to more accurately assess each woman’s needs during pregnancy has been awarded £1.8million.

    pregnant woman

    New guidance published on how best to support qualitative researchers

    The guidance has been developed to protect and support qualitative researchers who conduct research and analyse data on sensitive, challenging, and difficult...

    A diverse group of people sit in a circle and have a discussion

    Telemedicine in critical care still not widely adopted despite technological advancements

    Cochrane Review examines the international evidence base on the implementation of telemedicine in critical care

    Stethoscope lying next to a smartphone

    Professor Jane Sandall appointed first-ever Head of Midwifery Research at NHS England

    Professor Jane Sandall CBE has been seconded to design and lead the midwifery research strategy for NHS England and Improvement on behalf of the Chief...

    baby and mother

    Pregnant women with serious mental illnesses found to be at higher risk of renal failure, heart attacks and embolisms around childbirth

    New research from King’s College London shows that women with serious mental illnesses (SMI) which required specialist care were more likely to have a...

    Pregnant woman sat on a bed resting her hand on her head looking distressed

    Study finds variation in cost estimates for maternity care

    Researchers have discovered a wide variation in cost estimates for maternity care in the UK, suggesting uncertainty about the true cost of care in the NHS.

    maternity-costs pregnant women in hospital bed

    Spotlight

    Improving outcomes of high-risk pregnancy

    Addressing an unmet meet need for strategies to identify women and babies at risk of serious complications of pregnancy

    Maternal health

      Research

      global
      Global Maternal Health

      Global Maternal Health

      hypertension 2
      Maternal Hypertension

      hypertension_685x200px_Banner The Hypertension group strategy focuses on improving outcomes for women with hypertension in pregnancy

      News

      Seeing the same midwives improves birthing experience for high-risk mothers

      Seeing the same midwives throughout the perinatal period makes a substantial difference to a women’s feelings of calm and confidence during pregnancy and...

      Midwife and patient

      New tool to help improve maternity care secures funding for NHS trial

      A tool that enables midwives and doctors to more accurately assess each woman’s needs during pregnancy has been awarded £1.8million.

      pregnant woman

      New guidance published on how best to support qualitative researchers

      The guidance has been developed to protect and support qualitative researchers who conduct research and analyse data on sensitive, challenging, and difficult...

      A diverse group of people sit in a circle and have a discussion

      Telemedicine in critical care still not widely adopted despite technological advancements

      Cochrane Review examines the international evidence base on the implementation of telemedicine in critical care

      Stethoscope lying next to a smartphone

      Professor Jane Sandall appointed first-ever Head of Midwifery Research at NHS England

      Professor Jane Sandall CBE has been seconded to design and lead the midwifery research strategy for NHS England and Improvement on behalf of the Chief...

      baby and mother

      Pregnant women with serious mental illnesses found to be at higher risk of renal failure, heart attacks and embolisms around childbirth

      New research from King’s College London shows that women with serious mental illnesses (SMI) which required specialist care were more likely to have a...

      Pregnant woman sat on a bed resting her hand on her head looking distressed

      Study finds variation in cost estimates for maternity care

      Researchers have discovered a wide variation in cost estimates for maternity care in the UK, suggesting uncertainty about the true cost of care in the NHS.

      maternity-costs pregnant women in hospital bed

      Spotlight

      Improving outcomes of high-risk pregnancy

      Addressing an unmet meet need for strategies to identify women and babies at risk of serious complications of pregnancy

      Maternal health