Being Open with Families and Staff in Maternity Services Through Investigations and Reviews

A specialist communication training course for maternity and neonatal leaders and senior clinicians.

Our training programme has been established since 2002. We have been commissioned by Health Improvement Scotland, Scottish Government and NHS England to deliver these programmes in maternity. These programmes have been endorsed and recommended by the Chief Midwife and Obstetrician for London.

Participants have told us that the programme made a such a positive difference:

"Invite all senior teams...it will trickle down to junior staff and this would help to improve the culture"  - Consultant Midwife

"This needs to be embedded in training across all healthcare specialties in maternity, needs to be part of MDT learning."  - Consultant Obstetrician

You will understand how to apply trauma-informed practice, to ensure people feel listened to, included, and respected as they go through adverse event reviews and other investigations.

• Understand the reactions of patients and staff, and how these interact.
• Learn strategies and frameworks for trauma-informed communication and shared decision-making.
• Practise skills with support and guidance in tailored perinatal healthcare scenarios.
• Optimise a culture of learning following adverse events in maternity services

These programmes have been developed and are delivered by highly experienced maternity clinicians and psychologists working in the NHS.  You will learn practical skills, built in realistic simulation-based learning, so you can apply them immediately.

Book by 6th November to take advantage of our 25% Early Bird Discount.  For queries about Employer Funded Tickets, please email us at hello@cuttingedgepsychology.co.uk

You can view a copy of the course programme here.

Tutor Team

Professor Belinda Hacking

EC4H Lead Tutor

Professor Belinda Hacking set up EC4H in 2002 and has led the development of this national training network. She has worked with professionals in healthcare across the UK developing the EC4H coaching and training programmes in clinical communication.  Until January 2025, Belinda worked for NHS Lothian as the Director of Psychology.  Belinda has a special interest in shared decision-making in healthcare and has more than 40 publications focusing on psychological adjustment in palliative care, clinical communication and shared decision making. HCPC accredited. She was awarded as a Research Fellow to the Open University in June 2025 and as an Honorary Professor to Edinburgh University in October 2025.  Prof. Hacking continues to work as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and has a busy clinical practise, alongside her teaching, coaching and research roles.  British Psychological Society membership: 33194

Dr Ellie Caldwell

EC4H Lead Tutor

Dr Ellie Caldwell is a dual-chartered Coaching Psychologist and Clinical Psychologist (HCPC registered) with additional training and expertise in Organisational Psychology. For over a decade Ellie specialised in Clinical Health Psychology - working as an embedded member of NHS multi-disciplinary physical health teams in areas including Oncology, HIV and Sexual Health, and Plastic Surgery. She also spent four years working in (and latterly operating as clinical lead for) a specialist NHS psychology service for health and care staff. Outside of her clinical roles, Ellie has proven track record in providing Organisational Psychology interventions and coaching (executive, leadership, wellbeing and performance, and team-focused) for organisations in the public and private sectors. With a strong background in co-designing and delivering training, Ellie has been a tutor for EC4H for many years and has helped to innovate our approach to training by integrating psychological models and methods - equipping trainees with a strong theoretical foundation to their communication approach.

Dr Edile Murdoch

EC4H Senior Tutor

Dr Edile Murdoch is a consultant neonatologist in Edinburgh, previously in Cambridge. She gained expertise in managing maternity and neonatal services, adverse event processes and palliative care pathways in NHS England and NHS Scotland. Edile has worked with national, network and government teams to develop frameworks in managing risk and communicating with families and has co chaired the development of national UK Frameworks for managing perinatal palliative care. Edile recently became a national specialty advisor to the NHS England maternity and neonatal programme developing safety signal systems. Alongside this Edile has become a communications tutor for EC4H (Effective Communication For Healthcare) and is a trained mediator.