Heartbeat: Championing the rights of vulnerable women

January 7, 2020

Meet Joanne Simpson. Some of you may know her as a translator, what you may not know is that she once lived in Albania as a charity worker. It’s this unique background and the work she does within our organisation that saw her recognised at this year’s Star Awards as the Equality and Diversity Champion.

Helping care for pregnant asylum seekers, Joanne works as an Albanian translator. Using her linguistic talents Joanne is able to gain an insight into the challenges faced by Albanian women in the UK. As a result, pregnant Albanian asylum seekers represent some of the most traumatised and vulnerable patients that Joanne works with.

Joanne said “I love what I do. Being able to try and help these women have positive pregnancies is what makes my job special. Working overseas has helped me to understand some of the pressures faced by the women I look after. I attend clinics and scan appointments to ensure they understand what’s going on every step of the way.”

Pip McKnight – Community Midwife commented “Effective communication is a huge part of the healthcare role and is so much more than merely translating words. Jo gives her voice to these women. Using her skills and experience Jo reduces barriers to accessing care for vulnerable Albanian women at a time when their voices and wishes most need to be heard.”