Midwifery in UK
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the Role of Intersectionality in Establishing Interprofessional Collaboration - Midwives’ Perspective in UK
IRAS ID
356638
Contact name
Anusheela Brahmachary
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
City St George's, University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 16 days
Research summary
The primary focus of this study is to develop an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of professional collaboration in the maternity units from the lens of the midwives. It further intends to explore how the intersection of gender, ethnicity and professional status influences this process of collaboration at work.
Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) has far-reaching implications for organisations, influencing their structure, culture, and effectiveness. Collaborative teams often outperform isolated professionals due to their ability to integrate diverse perspectives and skills. In the healthcare industry, IPC has been widely recognized for its role in improving patient safety, quality of care, and communication between teams.
Despite the critical exploration of the nuances of IPC, it is still a challenge to implement strong collaborative teams. The challenge increases ten folds when the employees come from diverse backgrounds with a variety of identity attributes. Miscommunications and tensions are inevitable when the professional identities collide.
The complex intersections of identities amongst staffs defined by profession, ethnicity, gender, country of training in the maternity units of NHS make it a compelling setting for exploring this issue.This study aims to address the following questions:
1. How are the barriers of IPC are embedded and reproduced in daily micro interactions among professionals?
2. How intersectional identities modulate these interactions shaping IPC in everyday work settings?
3. What are the mechanisms of the existing organisational culture and practises that impact the effectiveness of IPC in organisations?
4. How are the lower-power professional groups influencing the existing practises and culture and navigating through the cultural and relational dynamics in professional settings?
The study will adopt a qualitative research design with an exploratory intent and an ethnographic approach for this inquiry.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Sheffield Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/YH/0273
Date of REC Opinion
12 Feb 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion