In the realm of global health, Professor Shehata leads initiatives aimed at influencing health policy and improving sexual, reproductive, and post-reproductive healthcare worldwide. He advocates for women’s health rights, working diligently to increase healthcare access and amplify the voices of underserved women, particularly in relation to FGM, obesity, and ethnic health disparities. He developed the RCOG FGM Advocacy & Training Toolkit to combat the medicalisation of FGM and support global education efforts. Professor Shehata is committed to assisting RCOG’s global members by adapting guidelines to local contexts and ensuring the relevance of the MRCOG qualification in diverse healthcare settings. He actively drives the RCOG’s philanthropic role by expanding strategic global health projects to maximize impact.

Professor Shehata has served as an MRCOG examiner for the MRCOG Part 1, 2, and 3 exams on numerous occasions, including the Part 3 exam conducted on both virtual platforms and in person. He is closely associated with the Medical Trainees Initiative (MTI) scheme and Global Health trainees since 2022, actively participating in MTI activities within the RCOG and utilising peer-to-peer platforms to maintain effective communication. As the co-director of the Saving Mothers and Babies Lives Training Course in Jordan since 2022, he has led initiatives to enhance skills in managing obstetric emergencies, successfully training approximately 150 healthcare professionals to date. Additionally, he serves as the Director of the Anti-Medicalisation FGM Ethical and Advocacy Toolkit since 2023, where he developed a specialised training program to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to recognise the harms of FGM/C and advocate for its eradication within their communities.

Professor Shehata has held various external roles, including serving as a CEMACH Maternal Death Assessor from 2009 to 2010, and as a member of the NICE IOL Guidelines Development Group during two periods (2007-2008, 2013-2014). He was also a National Structure Framework Diabetes Assessor from 2003 to 2004 and served on the Executive Committee of Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) from 1996 to 2001. Additionally, he participated in a local BMA advisory committee from 2018 to 2022. Currently, he is a member of the Maternal Reducing Inequalities Care Bundle (MRCIB) Steering Group, providing strategic oversight to ensure alignment with the London Regional Maternity Team’s vision for achieving equity in maternity outcomes. He is also a member of the FIGO Women’s Health & Technology Committee, advocating for equitable innovation and digitalisation in women’s health.

In leadership positions, Professor Shehata served as Clinical Director from 2009 to 2015 and Division Director from 2015 to 2018. During his tenure, he facilitated the appointment of ten new consultants, enabling the trust to meet the RCOG recommendations for labour ward consultant cover. He successfully led the initiative to achieve Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI) level 1 status, the highest rating in the sector, while also reducing the caesarean section rate from 35% to 27% while maintaining excellent perinatal outcomes. He achieved CNST level 3 in 2014 through collaborative work across specialties, including the revision of complex obstetric care guidelines. In his current role as Clinical Director of the Maternal Medicine Network for South West London and Surrey Heartlands since 2021, he is responsible for the day-to-day operation of services, job planning, appraisals, strategic planning, and governance structure development, as well as for integrating regional maternal medicine services and managing complex cases at the Co-Hubs to ensure timely and appropriate care.

Throughout his career, Professor Shehata has developed innovative models of care that have gained national and international recognition. He founded the South London and Surrey Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic in 2002, which has achieved national acclaim for its pioneering research and management approaches. In 2001, he established the Obstetric Medicine Clinic, where he has mentored trainees and implemented evidence-based protocols. He has also developed obstetric specialist clinics that enhance care quality through expert-led services and co-founded the regional Renal/Obstetric service, which provides specialised preconception and antenatal care. Additionally, he co-founded and led the internationally recognised “Saving Mothers and Babies Lives” and ALSO courses, significantly improving maternal outcomes on a global scale.

Professor Shehata has extensive clinical experience as an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and currently serves as a Lead Maternal Medicine Consultant since 2001. He possesses specialist expertise as a senior clinician, trainer, and academic in areas such as recurrent miscarriage and maternal medicine, including obesity and diabetes services. He is recognised as an expert in pre-conception counselling for high-risk obstetric patients, managing a diverse range of conditions—including diabetes, antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), thyroid disorders, neurological issues, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory conditions, and renal complications—through individualised assessments and treatment plans. The maternal medicine centre he leads is accredited for RCOG training and is recognised as a Co-Hub for the South West London and Surrey Heartlands Maternal Medicine Network.

Professor Shehata served as the MENA Region International Fellows Representative on the RCOG Council from 2016 to 2022, playing a pivotal role in enhancing communication between the MENA Region International Representatives, Liaison Groups, and the College. During his tenure as the RCOG MENA Region Webinars Lead from 2020 to 2021, he successfully organised a series of webinars that were conducted almost weekly, achieving impressive attendance figures ranging from 1,200 to 3,000 participants per session.

From 2013 to 2016, Professor Shehata acted as the RCOG Gulf Ambassador, during which he significantly strengthened partnerships, fostered collaboration, and promoted training and education initiatives across Gulf countries. His efforts contributed to a marked increase in the RCOG’s presence and influence within the region. Furthermore, he was an active participant in the RCOG Workforce Task Group from 2008 to 2009, where he engaged in strategic initiatives focused on workforce sustainability and played a key role in shaping policies aimed at recruitment, retention, and well-being to effectively address future healthcare demands.