Dawn Johnston

Dawn Johnston is NMBI’s Director of Professional Standards - Midwifery. She is a Registered General Nurse and Registered Midwife. Her clinical experience covers all areas of midwifery practice including community and home deliveries, and water births.  

Dawn has previously held a number of management positions in southern England, including in London where she was one of four midwives who were also Clinical Directors of Women’s Directorates in National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in the UK. Her last role in the NHS was Director of Midwifery and Nursing at Barts Health Trust where there were approximately 16,000 deliveries per year undertaken in five different settings. Dawn also served for eight years as a Fitness to Practise Panellist at the UK regulatory board (NMC).  

On return to Ireland in 2014, Dawn was appointed Group Director of Midwifery at Saolta University Hospital Group and provided strategic clinical leadership to five maternity units within the group.  

Dawn started with NMBI in 2015 as a Board member, before taking up the role of Director of Professional Standards – Midwifery in 2017. She served as Acting CEO in 2018 to 2019. 

Dawn was a member of the National Maternity Strategy working group in 2016. She holds a Master’s degree from Thames Valley University and has a Masters of Laws (LLM) in Legal Aspects of Medical Practice from Cardiff University.  

Dawn continues to hold a regular clinical session in Dublin.