Dr Kuldip Kaur Bharj, OBE

Kuldip has nearly forty years education, research and practice experience in the field of midwifery; after working as a clinical midwife, she moved into midwifery education in 1981.  She has extensive experience of providing and delivering education with in an inter-professional environment. 

Her principle interests are around policy and practice, health inequalities, midwifery education, research and practice, evidence-based practice, women’s experience of maternity services, organisation of maternity services, workforce development and communication and health services.

In addition to this she has ten years in NHS public appointments as a non-executive director (Leeds Health Authority and Leeds PCT) and a Chair (Leeds West PCT) of the NHS trusts. She undertakes a number of professional activities at local and national level and has been invited to act as a panel member for a number of national conferences led by the NHS & the Department of Health. 

She has worked with the Department of Health in an advisory capacity to improve service provision for clients from the black and minority ethnic communities and also acts as a national consultant to both public and private sectors in the areas of equal opportunities. 

Through out her professional life she has been dedicated to excellence in the provision and delivery of services both in education and practice, which has led to the development, and implementation of education and health services which are responsive to the needs of the local communities and are of high quality. 

She has achieved this through forging partnerships with key players including all users of health services and their carers, who actively contribute to improve as well as prevent ill health. 

Having successfully led on issues of equal opportunities has equipped her with the knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate the generation of culturally sensitive and appropriate healthcare for service users and their carers. 

Her work with the Quality Assurance Agency and the Nursing and Midwifery Council has enabled her to develop expertise in the area of quality assurance and clinical governance. 

Her research and publications including presentation of papers at national and international conferences have covered areas in education and health services for example clinical mentorship, provision of midwifery education, provision of equitable maternity services and experiences of maternity users and health inequalities and areas of ‘race’ and ethnicity. 

She currently serves on the editorial board of the British Journal of Midwifery; is a registrant member of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2009- ) and the chair of the NMC’S Midwifery Committee (2011- ).

She served on the Prime Minister Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery (2009-2010). She is also a member of the International Confederation of Midwife’s Education Standing Committee and leads on placement learning and is the Chair of Royal College of Midwives Education Advisory Committee.

In 2009 her work for services to healthcare and to the community in Leeds was recognised in the Queens Honours list when she was awarded an OBE.