Health secretary announces investigation into 'failing' NHS maternity services

A national investigation into NHS maternity services in England has been launched by health secretary, Wes Streeting,  saying that “maternity units are failing, hospitals are failing, trusts are failing, regulators are failing” and there was “too much passing the buck.”

Speaking at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ (RCOG) annual conference, Wes Streeting said the inquiry would urgently look at the 10 worst-performing services in the country, as well as the entire maternity system.

He did not say how much the investigation would cost but commented: “I suspect it will be somewhat less than the enormous costs we pay in clinical negligence claims. Probably the most shocking statistic in this area is that we are paying out more in clinical negligence for maternity failures than we are spending on maternity services.”

The inquiry will look at factors contributing to failures in maternity safety, such as a lack of staff and specialised equipment across NHS trusts. It will also study racial disparities within maternity care, including that black women are up to three times more likely to die during pregnancy or shortly after birth than white women.

The government also said that a national maternity and neonatal taskforce would be established, chaired by the health secretary and consisting of a panel of maternity experts and bereaved families.

The announcement of an independent review of maternity services across England had been looking increasingly likely after a series of high-profile failures in maternity care across several NHS trusts.

In February, Nottingham university hospitals NHS trust (NUH) was fined £1.6m after admitting it failed to provide safe care and treatment to three babies who died within months of one another.

The Ockenden review, published in 2022, investigated 1,862 maternity cases at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS trust, finding that hundreds of babies died or were seriously disabled because of its mistakes.

During his speech, Wes Streeting apologised to the families affected. He said: “All of them have had to fight for the truth and justice. They describe being ignored, gaslit, lied to, manipulated and damaged further by the inability of a trust to simply be honest with them that something has gone wrong.”

Campaigners and medical organisations welcomed the national inquiry, but the government was urged to ensure that recommendations were fully implemented.

The RCOG said that, as it stood, “too many women and babies are not getting the safe, compassionate maternity care they deserve, with tragic outcomes that are devastating families”.

Its president, Prof Ranee Thakar, said: “It is vital that the national review is done quickly, builds on the evidence from previous maternity investigations and produces a definitive set of recommendations that galvanises action across the system.”

Chief executive of NHS England, Sir Jim Mackey, said: “Despite the hard work of staff, too many women are experiencing unacceptable maternity care, and families continue to be let down by the NHS when they need us most.

“This rapid national investigation must mark a line in the sand for maternity care, setting out one set of clear actions for NHS leaders to ensure high-quality care for all."