An idea that sparked at a kitchen table has earned national recognition for a Basildon Hospital midwife.
Siobhan Jarzabek from Benfleet has been shortlisted for Midwife of the Year at the Nursing Times Awards for developing ScribeMat, an innovative digital tool to support real-time documentation during obstetric and neonatal emergencies.
She said: “My ambition is to help position Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust as a leader in maternity innovation through digital transformation. I want us to be a Trust that listens to frontline staff, learns from experience and turns ideas into meaningful improvements for patient care.
“Being shortlisted for Midwife of the Year at the Nursing Times Awards as a result of developing ScribeMat is an incredible honour.”
The idea grew from Siobhan’s experience caring for women, birthing people and babies on the frontline. During more than a decade in maternity care, she saw how difficult it can be to accurately document events during fast-moving emergencies while also delivering clinical care.
National reports have identified communication and documentation issues as factors that can contribute to poor care experiences. Drawing on research from her master’s degree and support from the Mid and South Essex Innovation Fellowship, Siobhan spent more than two years developing a solution.
She said: “ScribeMat helps teams record key actions and timings in real time during emergencies. It makes it easier to track what is happening and ensures important information is not missed.
“Documentation is currently completed by hand on paper and then entered retrospectively into electronic patient records. ScribeMat creates a clear digital record captured in real-time that can support debriefs, investigations and learning, while reducing the administrative burden on clinicians after the care has been given.”
Staff who tested the tool in simulation exercises described it as “easy to use”, “intuitive” and “exactly what we need in emergencies”. Families who have seen demonstrations said the clear and consistent documentation would provide reassurance during difficult situations.
The awards ceremony takes place in London on Thursday 29 October. Looking ahead, Siobhan hopes to pilot ScribeMat at Basildon Hospital before exploring opportunities to roll it out across mid and south Essex. Her long-term ambition is to support safer maternity care across the NHS.
