The number of midwives in England has increased by just 7% over the last year and some NHS Trusts in England have more than one in five midwifery jobs vacant, according to BBC research. The Royal College of Midwives says staffing gaps have to close. The BBC’s Health Correspondent Catherine Burns joins Clare McDonnell to talk about what her investigation into maternity units in England has discovered, and to share the story of Farzana, who had to give birth on her own after midwives said they were too busy to answer her calls.
Carole Stone must have one of the best address books ever. A former producer of BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions, for years Carole has run 'salons' and parties bringing together hundreds of interesting people - politicians, actors, journalists. Carole’s partner, the TV broadcaster Richard Lindley, died four years ago. Carole joins Clare to discuss how and why she is looking for another soulmate at the age of 81.
Could the next leader of North Korea be a woman? Clare gets the latest from lead correspondent at NK News, Jeongmin Kim, and hears more about what life is like for women on the ground with North Korea expert, Professor Hazel Smith.
As the number of pupils missing a significant amount of their education is about double the level it was before the pandemic, Clare is joined by Ellie Costello, the executive director of Square Peg, a not-for-profit which helps families that struggle with school attendance.
It’s 60 years this week since Jackie, the magazine for teenage girls, was first published. At its peak, it was selling more than a million copies a week. To celebrate the anniversary, Clare is joined by Nina Myskow, Jackie’s first female editor, and Wendy Rigg, a teenage fan who achieved her dream of working on Jackie.
Presenter: Clare McDonnell Producer: Lottie Garton
Weekend Woman’s Hour: Irish folk singer Cara Dillon, The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax, Maximalism
Men & porn, Women's Diaries, South Korea birth rate
Folk singer Cara Dillon, Diane Abbott and racist abuse, Haiti
IVF clinic license suspended, Porn series, 'Queens' wildlife programme
Body shaming in dance, Author Charlotte Wood, Mothers’ Manifesto
The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax, Jennie Lee MP, England Rugby player Meg Jones
Weekend Woman’s Hour – Music artist Raye, COPA 71 and Imelda May on the Yeats sisters
Women's Football in '71, Mollie King, Female psychopaths
Nikki Haley, Pornography series, Author Liz Jensen
Raye, Women swimming the Channel, Anita Hill, Adaptive fashion
Historic abortion law change in France and Pornography series
Sarah Everard's murder 3 years on, Jess Phillips MP and Baroness Ruth Davidson, singer CMAT
Weekend Woman’s Hour: Actor Samantha Morton, Alabama IVF, Andi and Charlotte Osho
Female history in 101 objects, Big hair, Toilet training and schools, Primodos
Alabama IVF, Porn series, Tattoos
Yvette Cooper on Raneem's Law, Porn review, Andi and Charlotte Osho, Lucia Keskin
Nadine Shah, Vivian Oparah, Baby loss certificates, Amber Heard trolling
Actor Samantha Morton, Mary Beard, Leap year proposals
Kelsey Parker, Ukraine's children, Black girls in education, Aisling Bea
Kelsey Parker, 'Sharenting', Maternity leave
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Global News Podcast
The Infinite Monkey Cage
Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
You’re Dead to Me
Elis James and John Robins