Carmel McCalmont
Pro-Chancellor, distinguished friends, colleagues, graduands and guests. With Coventry’s commitment to educating new healthcare professionals across the Midlands, and as it opens the doors on a state-of-the-art Science and Health Building, it is very fitting that a former nurse, midwife, and senior healthcare figure is being recognised as an honorary doctor of science today.
Now head of midwifery at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, and associate director for women and children’s safeguarding at the NHS Trust - Carmel McCalmot has spent 30 years as a practising midwife, and remains influential in supporting and promoting healthcare training and innovation across the sector.
Born and brought up in Coventry, Carmel has always been surrounded by a strong family. Her mother - a welder, and father, a motorcycle packer, were her inspiration growing up where she had a love for Irish dancing and musical theatre.
Carmel studied for her undergraduate degree at Coventry University before completing a master’s in medical ethics and law at Keele University, and later returning to Coventry to gain a postgraduate certificate in higher education.
In 1981 she began what was to be an impressive career in healthcare with her first post as a staff nurse at Walsgrave Hospital. It was here, while on placement in maternity that she found her calling on the maternity wards and five years later, was made midwifery sister.
In 1989 she took up work as a community midwife in Coventry where she worked with families and training students right across the city. She also continued her education, embarking on an advanced diploma in midwifery at Birmingham University in 1991, and later, training as a supervisor of midwives at Manchester University.
In 1992 Carmel was appointed clinical specialist on the labour ward back in Walsgrave Hospital, before moving to St Cross in Rugby where she served as head of midwifery.In 1993 she became clinical midwifery manager at the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS trust where she continued her great work helping others.
In 2004 Carmel was appointed head of midwifery and divisional nurse director at the Trust, and from 2011 has been their associate director of nursing for women and children’s safeguarding. She also serves as co-chair of the West Midlands Heads of Midwifery group, and sits on the Royal College of Midwives Advisory Group. She also led a work stream around safe sustainable staffing in midwifery services.
With 30 years working with women and families, Carmel set out her caring and very person focused nature early on her career when she went above and beyond to ensure that an expectant mother had her wish for her three children to be at the birth of the baby – despite resistance at the time. Carmel went on to author an article jointly with the child’s father which changed the practice across midwifery.
Her writing continued and in 2015 she co-authored a book supporting student midwifes, and in 2016 she was invited to meet the Prime Minister at an event in Downing Street to celebrate nurses and midwives and their contribution to the NHS.
Such efforts to make sure patients and people are at the heart of her work have not gone unnoticed. In 2013 Carmel was named as a Health Care Hero and given a Lifeline achievement for her services to midwifery at the Pride of Coventry Awards.
Throughout her varied career she has retained strong links with universities and worked to ensure that student midwives are nurtured and have a positive experience. Her interest and love for people has remained at the heart of everything she does.
Carmel is surrounded by loving family, with six nieces and nephews with whom she is very close – even being at the birth of her two great nephews. Her husband Hugh, sadly passed away in 2009 and her honour today is dedicated to him, and to the parents who inspired her so much. So, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to healthcare and midwifery across the Midlands, and in Coventry, Coventry University, by decision of the Academic Board, has the privilege of conferring the Degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, on Carmel McCalmont.