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Woman's Hour

Baroness Cumberlege, Nurses' strike, Balaclavas, Iran diaries, Whistleblowing

Woman's Hour

BBC

Society & Culture, Health & Fitness, Personal Journals

4.22.9K Ratings

🗓️ 14 December 2022

⏱️ 58 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Two and a half years ago Baroness Cumberlege wrote a report looking at two drugs and a medical device which caused women or their babies harm. She made a list of recommendations to support victims and prevent future, avoidable damage. Yesterday she appeared in front of the Health and Social Care Select Committee and expressed her frustration at the slow progress of the Department of Health on this issue. She updates Emma Barnett about her concerns. Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to start strike action tomorrow. Since we spoke to the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing Pat Cullen yesterday on this programme, the RCN has been urged to do more to 'avoid patient harm' and 'alleviate unnecessary distress' for dying patients on strike days by the Chief Nursing Officer for England Ruth May, and the chief nursing officers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as the NHS's head of cancer care. Emma is joined by BBC health reporter Jim Reed and then Baroness Watkins, cross bench peer and a nurse for 50 years. She's also Visiting Chair of Nursing at Kings College London, and is hoping that the strike will be called off. In this cold weather, we’re all reaching for our winter woollies. One of the things you may be wearing is a balaclava, that piece of headwear that covers your head and chin traditionally knitted by your grandma. These winter warmers originated during the Crimean War and they’re having a moment this year, thanks to big name fashion brands, Gen Z’s and Tik Tok and Instagram influencers. Fashion writer Tiffanie Darke is here to tell us how we can be warm and stylish. Protests have been taking place across Iran since mid-September after the death in custody of a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini who had been detained by Iranian morality police for not wearing her headscarf correctly. Over the last two and a half months, women living in Iran have been sending their thoughts and diaries in secret to the BBC’s Saba Zavarei. They come in the form of voice notes, writings, videos and drawings, which the women then destroy on their phones in case they are searched. These diaries show the everyday risks and dangers that women face, as they continue to protest in Iran. We speak to the Elizabeth Gardiner the CEO of the Whistleblowing charity Protect about what protection is available for women who do put their careers on the line to report malpractice and wrongdoing.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

BBC Sounds Music Radio Podcasts

0:05.3

Hello, I'm Emma Barnett and welcome to Woman's R from BBC Radio 4.

0:10.4

Good morning and welcome to the programme.

0:12.8

Today we're going to hear the latest about the nurses strike and this scored in the profession

0:17.4

which is 90% female on the eve of a historic national strike by the Royal College of Nursing

0:23.6

the first in its 106 year history still on as I'm talking to you for tomorrow.

0:29.0

Yesterday we heard from the head of that union Pat Cullen you can catch up on that particular

0:33.1

interview on BBC Sounds.

0:34.9

It's worth hearing in full if you have the time.

0:37.7

Also on today's programme the woman behind a landmark report about women's health scandal

0:43.1

who is frustrated to say the least with the slow progress of the government on this front.

0:47.5

Of course it's linked in some ways because we're talking about patient safety at the

0:50.4

heart of all of this.

0:51.9

We will hear the voices of Iranian women recorded in secret and shared with the BBC

0:56.8

who have been part of those head line making protests since mid-September.

1:01.5

And why in these frosty climbs more and more women are apparently reaching for the balaclava?

1:07.0

Yes, that's right.

1:08.5

Although I keep really saying for clava.

1:11.5

No not pastry.

1:12.5

For a balaclava there you go.

1:14.8

Apparently brightly coloured ones are all the rage and are having a moment.

1:18.8

It did get us thinking today as we're still dealing with frosty climbs.

...

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