Hannah Barnes
The New Statesman
The first feature delicately combines deeply personal, first-hand reporting, with thoroughly researched analysis and data. The product is a compelling read that helped shift the national debate on birth trauma. This is a silent scandal: something affecting potentially hundreds of thousands of women each year, and costing the NHS billions. Hannah was deluged by women sharing their stories afterwards. The piece was re-published by the Times, and Sky News dedicated a day of coverage to birth trauma, in which Hannah appeared live.
Maternity charities, politicians, and doctors all praised the feature. NHS whistleblower, Dr Martyn Pitman, judged it, “brave, brilliant and deeply thought-provoking … [something that] should be a compulsory read for every single, Midwife, Obstetrician and NHS Manager”. Best-selling author and physician, Dr Rachel Clarke, regarded the piece “exceptionally important”. “In no other part of the NHS are patients treated so abominably”, she said.
The second feature discusses how creeping censorship has captured Britain’s liberal institutions. It argues that it would be disastrous for free speech to become seen as a “right-wing” issue. And yet, many on the left have refused to engage with the issue – the media included. The piece is thought-provoking, citing plenty of real-world examples. It encourages readers to consider whether allowing feelings to trump facts can end up harming the very people they are purporting to help.
Hannah’s writing enjoyed an exceptional response, some influential commentators writing directly to The New Statesman’s editor. The Guardian’s Susanna Rustin judged it “a brilliant article", and barrister and Commissioner at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Akua Reindorf KC, said: “Characteristically thorough long read from the inestimable [Hannah]... Great to finally see proper treatment of this in the left-wing press.”
The final feature is an unequalled analysis of the downfall of the Gender Identity Development Service (or GIDS as it is known to everyone). Hannah is – according to one colleague - “the issue’s definitive chronicler”. What began as several films for BBC Newsnight with then colleague Deborah Cohen, turned into a best-selling and game-changing book – Time to Think: The Inside Story of the Collapse of the Tavistock's Gender Service for Children – and afterwards, a laser-like, evidence-based focus on what would replace the service. In this piece, the reader learns how GIDS went from a small-scale therapeutic ‘safe space’ to a national clinic that referred around 2,000 children for potentially life-changing drugs, for which there was no robust evidence base. Neither GIDS, nor the Tavistock Trust took multiple opportunities to change direction. Instead, they silenced whistleblowers; ignored their own data showing patients were not benefiting from treatment; and didn’t stop to ask basic questions about those seeking their help. The Observer commissioned Hannah to write a similarly reflective piece for them.
Exceptional journalism should tell uncomfortable truths, stick to the evidence, and be motivated by the public interest. Hannah’s writing exemplifies all three.