Forged in Fire: A New Path Forward for Tongue Tie Practitioners
There’s no easy way to put it — the sudden closure of Private Midwives has left a real void, both professionally and personally, for many highly experienced tongue tie practitioners. It’s disrupted livelihoods, interrupted the continuity of care for families, and forced many to face a wave of uncertainty.
But from my experience, change — even when it comes unexpectedly — often forges strength. Steel is forged in fire. And I truly believe the professionals affected by this change will come through it stronger, more resilient, and more mission-led than ever before.
I’d like to share how we at Kube Medical, through our subsidiary Baby Acorn Clinics, are stepping in to offer immediate support, and potentially a new professional home, to practitioners who want to keep delivering this vital care without the daunting administrative weight of starting from scratch.
The Reality of CQC Registration
Let me speak plainly about what’s holding many clinicians back: CQC registration.
For us, the journey from submitting our application to receiving our registration as a CQC-registered provider of frenulotomy services took 11 months. Not because we lacked organisation or commitment, but because the process is complex, exhaustive, and rightly thorough. When we finally received our certificate, I’ll admit — I shed a tear. A mix of happiness, relief, and a deep sense of accomplishment. That’s not something I often do in a work context.
I say this not to discourage, but to acknowledge the burden practitioners face when trying to do this alone. Most tongue tie specialists aren’t looking to become compliance officers, directors, IT managers and marketing leads. You want to focus on what you’re trained to do: provide safe, compassionate, expert care to families who desperately need it.
That’s why Baby Acorn Clinics exists.
Stepping Into the Gap
We launched Baby Acorn Clinics to meet exactly this need — to support practitioners who want to work privately, but don’t have the infrastructure, time, or desire to go it alone.
Our model enables practitioners to operate under our CQC registration, with full governance, administrative and brand support from Kube Medical. This includes:
- Sessional or home visit work under our clinical oversight
- Centralised admin, policies, patient booking systems
- CQC registration and public liability cover
- Marketing, branding and referral network development
- Training, audit, and practitioner support
- Equipment, documentation and clinical standards all in place
We believe the closure of Private Midwives leaves a clear opportunity to build something stronger — a more collaborative, resilient network of baby-focused clinics run by practitioners, not corporations.
More Than Compliance — A Shared Mission
Kube Medical has always believed in doing healthcare differently. We're a values-led organisation. We aim to support individuals and families through all stages of life — from pregnancy and early infancy, right through to adulthood — with a blend of clinical excellence and human warmth.
The Baby Acorn Clinics model is born from the same spirit. We’re not here to take over — we’re here to help you do what you do best.
If you were formerly working with Private Midwives and want to continue delivering tongue tie services — particularly if you’re qualified as a midwife or paediatric nurse — we’d love to explore whether you could join our growing network.
What We’re Looking For
We are currently:
- Checking with our insurer and the CQC to accommodate more practitioners quickly
- Exploring immediate opportunities for home visit and sessional work in locations across the UK
- Hoping to match displaced practitioners with areas where NHS provision is under-serving families
If this sounds like you, we’d love to start a conversation.
Please email Suzie at suzie@kubemedical.co.uk and copy in some background on:
- Where you currently work and how your time is split (clinic vs home visits)
- Your fee structure and whether you’re currently individually insured
- Your interest in working as a contractor or part of a registered provider team
We’ll be arranging introductory calls early next week to answer any questions and begin planning how we can work together.
Together, We Can Fill the Gap
Parents need your expertise more than ever. The NHS often can’t meet the demand. And yet, many practitioners are left without the tools to operate privately.
That’s where we come in. If we work together — not as isolated professionals, but as a community — I believe we can build something powerful, long-lasting, and above all, supportive for both practitioners and the families we serve.
Let’s start now.
All the best,
Patrick Campbell
Director
Kube Medical & Baby Acorn Clinics
Registered Manager
Kube Medical Limited
