Victoria Rawnsley, Senior Advanced Clinical Practitioner at Care Fertility Leeds, has been shortlisted for the EFS Best Fertility Nurse & Midwife Award 2026. Her nomination reflects both her advanced clinical practice and her wider contribution to shaping the future of fertility nursing as a profession.
Advanced practice across the full patient journey
Victoria's clinical role encompasses the breadth of fertility treatment: transvaginal ultrasound, follicular monitoring, oocyte retrieval, embryo transfer, and the delivery of treatments including IVF, ICSI, IUI, donor conception, and fertility preservation. She works autonomously while collaborating closely with multidisciplinary teams, and her clinical pregnancy rates are consistently among the highest in the organisation.
What distinguishes her practice is the integration of clinical precision with compassionate communication. Fertility treatment is, for many patients, one of the most emotionally demanding experiences of their lives. Victoria's approach ensures patients feel informed, empowered, and genuinely supported throughout.
A national first in nursing education
Victoria's most significant contribution beyond her own caseload is the development of a formalised ultrasound education programme, built in partnership with the University of Birmingham. What began as an in-house initiative has evolved into a Level 7 module qualification pathway — the only programme of its kind in the UK.
This initiative has strengthened clinical standards, created structured professional development opportunities within fertility nursing, and contributed to broader workforce resilience in a sector with significant skills demands.
What this means for partners
For healthcare partners, GP networks, and commissioners, Victoria's nomination signals the calibre of clinical and educational leadership within Care Fertility Leeds. Her work demonstrates that Advanced Clinical Practitioners in fertility nursing are not just delivering care — they are shaping the standards that care is delivered to.
Her nomination also highlights the role that Care Fertility plays as a partner in fertility nursing education, collaborating with universities to create structured pathways that benefit the wider sector.
This is Blog 6 of 6 in our series celebrating Care Fertility's EFS Fertility Care Award 2026 nominations. Read the full series on the Care Fertility Partnerships Blog, or get in touch if any of these programmes or nominations are relevant to your work — whether as a partner, commissioner, educator, or journalist.
.jpg?width=290&name=Thumbnail_small-Victoria%20Sephton%20(1).jpg)