A National Wake-up Call on Maternity and Neonatal Safety

Baroness Amos has published her final report and recommendations from the Independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. The findings are deeply concerning, and they're a stark reminder of why maternity safety has to stay a national priority.

This investigation grew out of the Ockenden review into failures at Nottingham University Hospitals, which exposed serious, repeated harm to mothers and babies. Baroness Amos was asked to widen the lens: to look at care across 12 NHS trusts and find out whether Nottingham was a one-off or part of a wider pattern. Her report answers that question, and the answer is troubling.

The report describes women and families not being listened to, staff working under immense pressure, inconsistent care, and facilities no longer fit for purpose. Her conclusion is blunt: maternity and neonatal services need urgent reform, so every family gets safe, compassionate, high-quality care.

I've raised this before. In two previous posts, Raise the Standards of NHS Maternity Care and We Must Raise the Standard of Maternity Care, I backed a clear plan for 24/7 consultant cover on every maternity unit, one-to-one midwifery care during labour, and investment to bring units up to "good" or "outstanding" standard. Baroness Amos's report only reinforces why that plan matters.

I also welcome her recommendation to establish a statutory Maternity and Neonatal Commissioner. Families deserve an independent champion who makes sure lessons are learned, improvements are delivered, and patient voices stay at the centre of decision-making. The Government's commitment to creating the UK's first Maternity and Neonatal Commissioner is an important step forward.

Here in Berkshire, the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust serves thousands of families across Reading, Wokingham, West Berkshire and Newbury, delivering around 4,600 births each year. Recent inspections and patient surveys are reassuring: the CQC rates maternity services as "Good", praising improvements in safety, leadership and culture. The latest maternity survey found 94% of mothers had confidence in staff during labour and birth, 95% felt treated with dignity and respect, and 96% felt involved in decisions about their care. Local staff should be proud of that.

But good results locally can't be a reason for complacency. The dismissal of staff concerns, the hiding of failings from regulators, the refusal to listen to women and their families, the bullying, the organisational failures and lack of accountability exposed by maternity reviews across the country should be cause for alarm.

No woman should be made to give birth on an unsafe ward. The Government must implement these recommendations in full, strengthen accountability and whistleblowing across the NHS, and provide the investment needed to make Britain the safest place in the world to have a baby. Above all, families who have shared painful experiences deserve to know their voices have led to real change.

I'll keep pressing to make sure the lessons from this report lead to lasting improvements for families across Berkshire and West Berkshire.