England’s maternity services are facing severe issues, including hunger among mothers, unsanitary conditions, and substandard care, according to a newly released report. Baroness Amos, chairing a comprehensive review of maternity care, expressed that the circumstances she observed have been significantly more dire than she had anticipated. Some women reported being blamed for the death of their babies, while others experienced a lack of empathy, care, or apologies when incidents went wrong. Notably, poor and black mothers often encountered discriminatory services. Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who initiated the review, emphasized that these systemic failures leading to tragedies cannot be overshadowed.
Wes Streeting acknowledged that despite the dedication of NHS staff in ensuring safe births, the existing systemic failures resulting in preventable disasters must be addressed. The ongoing National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation aims to develop nationwide recommendations to remediate issues within maternity and neonatal services, following previous investigations that identified the problems but failed to implement sustainable improvements. Baroness Amos will publish her final report in the Spring. However, her interim insights underscore the depth of entrenched inadequate care. Speaking to the BBC, she noted the skepticism and criticism surrounding her approach, but she emphasized the importance of learning from past failures and making significant changes this time, especially given the Secretary of State’s involvement.
Over the past decade, various inquiries, including ones into the services at Morecambe Bay, Shrewsbury & Telford, and East Kent, have brought forth 748 recommendations for improvement. Despite this, issues persist. The largest maternity inquiry in NHS history, involving around 2,500 cases in Nottingham, is slated to report in June, with another investigation recently initiated into care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. In an interview on BBC R4's Today programme, Baroness Amos expressed confidence in initiating change through her review. Although not empowered by a statutory public inquiry, she is focusing on identifying systemic changes to enhance care quality across hospital trusts.
Baroness Amos shared harrowing stories from her review, which involved visits to seven NHS trusts and consultations with over 170 families. She encountered frequent reports of lack of cleanliness, mothers not receiving meals or assistance with bathroom needs, with catheters not being emptied, and women not being heard, notably concerning reduced fetal movements. Discriminatory care was highlighted, particularly for women of color, working-class women, and those with mental health issues. In addition, NHS organizations reportedly exhibited poor behaviors, including using inappropriate language when addressing infant death or harm. The review also engaged with maternity services staff, some of whom have faced severe hostility, such as having rotten fruit thrown at them.