Popular Eastbourne midwife finally retires
A retirement party was held for the popular Irish-born midwife who lives in Eastbourne with her husband Melvyn and family.
Gina is reported to have delivered more than 4,000 babies during her time working at the various maternity hospitals in the town.
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Hide AdShe has spent 48 years as a midwife and three in general nursing.
Her son Kevin said, “Mum may well be the longest serving midwife in NHS England. We are so very proud of her.”
Longstanding colleague and a former student of Gina’s, Jane Bedford-Clarke, the community midwife matron, said, “Gina has been an amazing colleague and friend to many of us. Her title as ‘the home-birth queen’ is legendary with her colleagues. She has enabled and advocated for women to achieve a safe homebirth often going above and beyond by making herself available even on her days or nights off.
“Gina has supported families through the loss of a baby and at this devastating time has offered on-going support for bereaved parents including attending funeral services in her own time.
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Hide Ad“This support has been invaluable and remembered by all those whose lives she has touched.
“Gina’s commitment has spanned her whole career and despite her own personal tragedies she has continued to demonstrate this exceptional care. Even when able to retire in 2015 she chose to return to work part-time with the same enthusiasm for delivering high quality midwifery care.
“She has inspired student midwives and her colleagues to become the midwives they are today. All who have worked alongside her respect and aspire to be like her. Gina goes above and beyond her expected role to support families through the joy or sometimes sadness of pregnancy and birth.”