Dr Lucia Rocca-Ihenacho
Contact details
Personal links
About
Overview
An academic midwife with broad experience of leadership and management of staff and resources, I am passionate about supporting the development of positive team culture and implementation of innovations in practice.
My NHS track record includes contributing to the creation of innovative ways of delivering maternity care with a public health focus such as a case-loading midwifery team for vulnerable women and a freestanding midwifery unit.
I have experience of mentoring midwives in clinical practice in a wide range of settings from home births in London to the mountains of rural Afghanistan.
Optimum Birth is an essential part of providing high quality care. This includes supporting all women to achieve a positive birth experience, including those with conditions which might preclude them from pursuing a normal birth care pathway. I see Optimum Birth as a means to achieve high quality care, which is safe, cost-effective and engenders positive experiences.
I worked until October 2015 as a Consultant Midwife in Public Health at St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust and I am now based at City, University of London where I work as a Lecturer and researcher.
I am a co-founder and CEO of the Midwifery Unit Network which is an international community of practice to support the development, implementation and enhancement of midwifery units across Europe.
I am invited internationally as a consultant to support the development of midwifery units and to train the interdisciplinary team. I am an Advisory Forum Member of the Royal College of Midwives.
Within maternity services my work focuses on midwifery-led care, midwifery units, development of midwifery skills, interdisciplinary training for Optimal Birth and dealing with obstetric emergencies in midwifery-led settings.
I am currently an NIHR Fellow and my main areas of research expertise are: qualitative research, meta-synthesis, Implementation Science, Participatory Action Research and development of complex interventions.
I particularly enjoy working on change facilitation and an organisational cultural shift towards staff engagement and shared leadership. I also focus on improving the birth environment aiming at enhancing staff and service users’ wellbeing.
I am a member of the Maternity Transformation Stakeholder Council and the Pa-London working group on how to improve midwifery unit. I am a reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals such as BJOG, International Journal of Childbirth, Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare and Anthropology in Action, Midwifery as well as a reviewer for the International Normal Labour and Birth conference. I am an invited speaker at several international conferences.
My educational focus is on:
• Midwifery skills development
• Philosophy, knowledge and skills for Optimum Birth
• Interdisciplinary learning
• Use of simulation labs for maternity staff training
• Partnership in decision-making in maternity care
• Dealing with obstetric emergencies in midwifery-led settings
Qualifications
- Postgraduate Certificate Academic Practice, City, University of London, United Kingdom, March 2017 - May 2019
- PhD, City, University of London, United Kingdom, 2010 - May 2017
- MSc Midwifery, City, University of London, United Kingdom, September 2003 - March 2006
Employment
- Member of Strategic Policy Committee - Global COVID Perinatal Taskforce, Birth Place Lab, Canada, March 2020 - present
- Member of Stakeholder Council, NHS England, October 2019 - present
- Member of Increasing Births in MLU Working Group, NHS England, United Kingdom, September 2019 - present
- NIHR Knowledge Mobilisation Fellow, City, University of London, United Kingdom, April 2016 - March 2019
- Consultant Midwife for Public Health, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom, September 2014 - September 2015
- NIHR Research Fellow, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom, April 2010 - June 2014
- Research Fellow, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom, December 2006 - March 2009
- Senior Midwive, Barts Health NHS Trust, United Kingdom, April 2004 - November 2006
- Midwife, Barts Health NHS Trust, United Kingdom, April 2002 - April 2004
Fellowships
- Development and Skills Enhancement Award, NIHR, January - December 2020
- Knowledge Mobilization Fellowship, NIHR, April 2016 - March 2019
Memberships of committees
- Midwifery Advisor, Advisory Panel Royal College of Midwives, February 2015 - present
Memberships of professional organisations
- Member of the group as an expert on Midwifery Units, NHS England Pan-London Midwifery Unit Toolkit Group, March 2020 - present
- Stakeholder Council Member, NHS England Maternity Transformation Stakeholder Council, February 2020 - present
Languages
English (can read, write, speak, understand spoken, peer review), Italian (can read, write, speak, understand spoken, peer review) and Spanish; Castilian (can read, write, speak, understand spoken, peer review)
Research students
2ndsupervisor
- Lisa Apini-Welcland, Research Student
- Laura Batinelli, Research Student
Publications
Publications by category
Chapters (3)
- Rocca-Ihenacho, L. and Dooris, M. (2019). Healthy settings and birth. In Downe, S. and Byrom, S. (Eds.), Squaring the Circle Researching Normal Birth in a Technological World ISBN 9781780664408.
- Morano, S., Donati, S., Begley, C., Lindstrom, L., Papa, R., Rocca-Ihenacho, L.... Chersevani Giolito, M.R. (2019). Birthplaces choice: safety, satisfaction, sustainability. Procreare in Sicurezza. Partorire in sicurezza. Nascere in sicurezza Rome: Department of Health.
- Rocca-Ihenacho, L. and Dooris, M. Healthy settings and birth. In Downe, S. and Byrom, S. (Eds.), Squaring the Circle: researching normal childbirth in a technological world Pinter & Martin. ISBN 9781780664408.
Journal articles (25)
- Valentini, C., Batinelli, L., Rocca-Ihenacho, L. and Drandic, D. (2026). Exploring adherence to the International Confederation of Midwives’ Essential Competencies in Europe. European Journal of Midwifery, 10(July), pp. 1-9. doi:10.18332/ejm/224435
- Welcland, L., Daniele, M.A.S., Runge, I., Rocca-Ihenacho, L. and McCourt, C. (2026). Understanding the implementation of specialist maternity services for pregnant women with FGM/C in Germany: a situation analysis applying normalization process theory. Reproductive Health, 23(1). doi:10.1186/s12978-026-02394-x
- Batinelli, L., McCourt, C., Bonciani, M. and Rocca-Ihenacho, L. (2025). Using codesign to support the implementation of a midwifery unit in Europe. Midwifery, 148. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2025.104503
- Melamed, A., Rocca‐Ihenacho, L., Horn, A., McCourt, C., Rivers, F. and Daniele, M.A.S. (2025). Facilitators and Barriers to Access to Midwife‐Led Birth Settings for Racialized Women in the UK: A Scoping Review. Birth, 52(3), pp. 491-502. doi:10.1111/birt.12897
- Aronson, S.M., Batinelli, L., Rocca-Ihenacho, L. and Stevens, J.R. (2025). Stakeholders’ expectations and experiences of being involved with a global accreditation process for midwifery centres in LMICs: a rapid ethnography. Midwifery, 148, pp. 104482-104482. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2025.104482
- Macad, G.L. and Rocca-Ihenacho, L. (2025). ‘Just a Midwife’: A qualitative study on perceived barriers and facilitators facing Filipino midwifery students in reaching ICM standards. Midwifery, 144, pp. 104355-104355. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2025.104355
- Apini-Welcland, L., Daniele, M.A.S., Rocca-Ihenacho, L. and McCourt, C. (2024). Pre-service education and continuous professional development on female genital mutilation/cutting for maternal health professionals in OECD countries: A scoping review. Midwifery, 135, pp. 104027-104027. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2024.104027
- Rocca-Ihenacho, D.L. (2023). An Ethnographic Study of the Philosophy, Culture and Practices Within an Urban Freestanding Midwifery Unit: Part 4 – Organisational Perspectives. The Practising Midwife, 26(11), pp. 26-30. doi:10.55975/dqcr5128
- Yuill, C., Keraudren, S., Murphy, R., Uddin, N. and Rocca-Ihenacho, L. (2023). Developing the midwifery Unit Self-Assessment (MUSA) Framework: A mixed methods study in six European midwifery units. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, 35, pp. 100819-100819. doi:10.1016/j.srhc.2023.100819
- Rocca-Ihenacho, L., Yuill, C., Thaels, E. and Uddin, N. (2023). The Midwifery Unit Self-Assessment (MUSA) Toolkit: embedding stakeholder engagement and co-production of improvement plans in European midwifery units. Evidence & Policy, 19(1), pp. 165-176. doi:10.1332/174426421x16448363973807
- van den Berg, L.M.M., Balaam, M.-.C., Nowland, R., Moncrieff, G., Topalidou, A., Thompson, S.... Treadwell, M. (2023). The United Kingdom and the Netherlands maternity care responses to COVID-19: A comparative study. Women and Birth, 36(1), pp. 127-135. doi:10.1016/j.wombi.2022.03.010
- Batinelli, L., McCourt, C., Bonciani, M. and Rocca-Ihenacho, L. (2023). Implementing midwifery units in a European country: Situational analysis of an Italian case study. Midwifery, 116, pp. 103534-103534. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2022.103534
- Batinelli, L., Thaels, E., Leister, N., McCourt, C., Bonciani, M. and Rocca-Ihenacho, L. (2022). What are the strategies for implementing primary care models in maternity? A systematic review on midwifery units. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 22(1). doi:10.1186/s12884-022-04410-x
- van den Berg, L.M.M., Thomson, G., de Jonge, A., Balaam, M., Moncrieff, G., Topalidou, A.... Downe, S. (2022). ‘Never waste a crisis’: a commentary on the COVID‐19 pandemic as a driver for innovation in maternity care. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 129(1), pp. 3-8. doi:10.1111/1471-0528.16996
- Rocca‐Ihenacho, L., Yuill, C. and McCourt, C. (2021). Relationships and trust: Two key pillars of a well‐functioning freestanding midwifery unit. Birth, 48(1), pp. 104-113. doi:10.1111/birt.12521
- Rayment, J., Rocca-Ihenacho, L., Newburn, M., Thaels, E., Batinelli, L. and Mcourt, C. (2020). The development of midwifery unit standards for Europe. Midwifery, 86, pp. 102661-102661. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2020.102661
- Rocca-Ihenacho, L. and Alonso, C. (2020). Where do women birth during a pandemic? Changing perspectives on Safe Motherhood during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Global Health Science, 2(1). doi:10.35500/jghs.2020.2.e4
- Yuill, C., McCourt, C. and Rocca-Ihenacho, L. (2020). Pop-up’ birth centers? Considering COVID-19 responses and place of birth in England. Medical Anthropology Quarterly, June(2020)
- Coates, R., Rocca‐Ihenacho, L., Olander, E., Ayers, S. and Salmon, D. (2019). A postgraduate Optimum Birth module to increase midwives’ readiness to work in midwifery‐led settings: A mixed‐methods evaluation. Birth, 46(3), pp. 533-539. doi:10.1111/birt.12399
- Leon-Larios, F., Nuno-Aguilar, C., Rocca-Ihenacho, L., Castro-Cardona, F. and Escuriet, R. (2019). Challenging the status quo: Women's experiences of opting for a home birth in Andalucia, Spain. Midwifery, 70, pp. 15-21. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2018.12.001
- Walker, S., Batinelli, L., Rocca-Ihenacho, L. and McCourt, C. (2018). ‘Keeping birth normal’: Exploratory evaluation of a training package for midwives in an inner-city, alongside midwifery unit. Midwifery, 60, pp. 1-8. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2018.01.011
- Schroeder, L., Patel, N., Keeler, M., Rocca-Ihenacho, L. and Macfarlane, A.J. (2017). The economic costs of intrapartum care in Tower Hamlets: A comparison between the cost of birth in a freestanding midwifery unit and hospital for women at low risk of obstetric complications. Midwifery, 45, pp. 28-35. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2016.11.006
- Rocca-Ihenacho, L., Newburn, M. and Byrom, S. (2017). The Midwifery Unit Network: creating a community of practice to enhance maternity services. The Practising Midwife, 20(6), pp. 24-27
- Macfarlane, A.J., Rocca-Ihenacho, L., Turner, L.R. and Roth, C. (2014). Survey of women׳s experiences of care in a new freestanding midwifery unit in an inner city area of London, England – 1: Methods and women׳s overall ratings of care. Midwifery, 30(9), pp. 998-1008. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2014.03.013
- Macfarlane, A.J., Rocca-Ihenacho, L. and Turner, L.R. (2014). Survey of women׳s experiences of care in a new freestanding midwifery unit in an inner city area of London, England: 2. Specific aspects of care. Midwifery, 30(9), pp. 1009-1020. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2014.05.008
Reports (3)
- Rocca-Ihenacho, L., Batinelli, L., Thaels, E., Rayment, J. and Newburn, M. (2018). Midwifery Unit Standards. City University of London.
- Rocca-Ihenacho, L. and Newburn, M. (2018). Midwifery Unit Network: the first three years. London: Midwifery Unit Network.
- Yuill, C., Soria, J., Rocca-Ihenacho, L., Reeve-Jones, C. and McCourt, C. (2018). The Barkantine Birth Centre: Celebrating 10 years as a Community Hub. London: Barts Health NHS Trust.
Other
- Senkyire, E., Rocca-Ihenacho, L., Senkyire, G., Asiedua, E., Ohaja, M. and McCourt, C.(2025). Systematic review and meta-synthesis of barriers and facilitators to providing effective maternal healthcare in Africa (CINAHL).
Professional activities
Collaboration (industrial)
-
CEO of the Midwifery Unit Network project (February 2019 - present)
Sponsored by City, University of London
Other partners: Chantelle Winstanley, Richart Hallet, Ellen Thaels, Laura Batinelli
Media appearance
- NHS urged to turn hotels into birth centres during crisis. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/apr/01/nhs-urged-to-turn-hotels-into-birth-centres-during-coronavirus-crisis