Meet #OurEntrepreneurs. Today we welcome Laura Spence a Midwife and Founder.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m Laura Spence, a midwife with nearly 15 years’ experience. I currently work in sexual and reproductive health and perinatal mental health.
Name: Laura Spence , NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Cohort 9
Occupation: Midwife and Founder
After being diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, I founded NeuroNatal®, a not-for-profit organisation supporting neurodivergent parents and professionals. My work draws on lived experience, academic research, and frontline maternity practice to challenge health inequalities and design neuro-affirming care.
Tell us about your innovation
Neurodivergent people—particularly those with ADHD, autism, and sensory processing differences—face significantly higher risks of poor perinatal mental health and birth trauma. Yet NHS maternity pathways are not designed with their needs in mind. Standard antenatal education, communication styles, and care environments often unintentionally exclude or overwhelm neurodivergent service users. This contributes to unsafe care, preventable distress, and deepening health inequalities.
NeuroNatal® is addressing this critical gap through our Brains in Bloom project, delivering the UK’s first neurodivergent-specific antenatal education, trauma-informed birth planning tools, and sensory support boxes. We also provide professional training to NHS staff on neuro-affirming perinatal care. Our goal is to reduce trauma, improve mental health outcomes, and make maternity services more accessible, inclusive, and empowering for neurodivergent people.
How did you find out about the programme?
I learned about the CEP through colleagues working in maternity innovation. I applied because NeuroNatal® is at a pivotal growth stage, and I’m ready to take it to the next level with support from experts who understand both clinical and entrepreneurial ecosystems. I’m especially looking forward to connecting with like-minded innovators and refining our strategy for wider NHS integration
What are your aims over the next year?
Over the next year, I hope the programme will support me in scaling NeuroNatal® sustainably, developing strategic NHS partnerships, strengthening our impact evidence, and securing funding to meet the growing demand for neurodivergent-inclusive maternity care.
My specific goals include:
- Evaluating and publishing outcomes data to support wider rollout
- Distributing 50+ Brains in Bloom sensory support boxes to pilot sites
- Launching our full neurodivergent-specific antenatal course via Podia
- Securing NHS commissioning for NeuroNatal® training
- Publishing my book on ADHD and the perinatal journey with Jessica Kingsley Publishers
What does innovation in healthcare mean to you?
Innovation ensures that care keeps pace with real-world needs and doesn’t leave people behind. For neurodivergent patients, this means rethinking everything—from communication to environment to education. Inclusive innovation isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity for equitable, safe care.