Maternity services, Resigning as a bridesmaid, Mica Millar, Poet Safiya Sinclair

A new report out today from the CQC - the Care Quality Commission - says that almost two thirds of maternity units provide dangerously substandard care that puts women and babies at risk. It has rated 65% of maternity services in England as either "inadequate" or "requires improvement", an increase from 54% last year. And yesterday saw the first debate in Parliament about birth trauma and the injuries suffered by some women in labour. The Conservative MP Theo Clarke has campaigned for better support for mothers following her own traumatic experience after giving birth to her daughter in August 2022. She gave her powerful testimony to Parliament in an effort to get birth trauma added to the women's health strategy and improve perinatal care for women. First we hear from Chief Executive of the CQC, Ian Trenholm, and then consultant obstetrician Dr Daghni Rajasingham.

After Ruhama Wolle took on the bridesmaid mantle three times in the space of 18 months, she decided to never say yes to the role, ever again. She penned an open letter resigning from all future bridesmaid requests, addressed to all her family and friends in Glamour Magazine US, where she works as Special Projects Editor. She joins Anita Rani to talk about why she’s opted out of the type of friendship being a bridesmaid requires.

A prize-winning poet and currently Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Arizona State University, Safiya Sinclair, has now written a stunning memoir, How to Say Babylon. It looks at her childhood and teenage years growing up in an ultra-strict Rastifari family in Jamaica, and how literature and poetry changed the trajectory of her life.

The soul/jazz singer Mica Millar has amassed almost five million streams on Spotify, and her debut album has been championed by the likes of Trevor Nelson and Jamie Cullum. This summer she’s had sold out shows, festival appearances at Love Supreme and the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, plus opening slots for Gregory Porter and Lionel Ritchie. Mica is to perform at the Union Chapel as part of London Jazz Festival’s opening weekend in November. She discusses recording her new album, Heaven Knows, during lockdown, while recovering from an accident.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Kirsty Starkey