Call for ‘urgent clarification’ on maternity investigation delays

The chair of Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) has written to the government expressing serious concern and calling for ‘urgent clarification’ over delays to the independent investigation into maternity and neonatal care.

The independent investigation, led by former government minister Baroness Amos, was launched by the government in June to examine serious failings in maternity and neonatal services and ensure lessons are learned to improve care for mothers and babies across England.

But this month, those behind the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation (NMNI) said some delays were expected – including that a call for evidence was being pushed back from November to January 2026.

A spokesperson for the NMNI said some maternity site visits had also been ‘postponed to the new year’.

In December, Baroness Amos is expected to publish ‘initial reflections’ on what has been heard so far from speaking with families impacted by maternity care failings, as well as a methodology and plans for the next phase of the investigation.

Related Article: Mythbuster: ‘This patient’s tested positive for Candida – can you arrange a prescription?’

A final investigation report ‘is due to be published in Spring 2026’, the spokesperson confirmed.

‘Hearing from families is a priority for the Independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, and Baroness Amos is very grateful to families who have engaged with her to date,’ the spokesperson said.

‘This engagement has included insightful input into the draft call for evidence which will gather insights into families’ experiences of maternity and neonatal care. In order to properly take on board family feedback, a decision has been made to delay the launch of the call for evidence from November 2025 to January 2026.’

‘Deeply concerned’

Ms Moran also noted the impact that the British Medical Association’s (BMA) planned strikes from Friday 14 November to Wednesday 19 November could have on the inquiry’s timeline.

‘While we recognise the potential impact of industrial action, further delays risk undermining public confidence and perpetuating the very safety concerns the review seeks to address.

‘The revised timetable also raises serious questions about whether evidence submitted by families can be meaningfully analysed before the final report is published in the spring,’ Ms Moran wrote in the letter.

Ms Moran has warned that the revised timetable for the inquiry could undermine public confidence and jeopardise the proper analysis of evidence submitted by affected families.

Related Article: ‘Unqualified staff’ at private scan clinics putting pregnant women ‘at risk’

She added that families who had taken the time to share their experiences ‘deserve assurance that their voices will be heard and their evidence properly considered’ before the final report is published, which is currently expected in the spring.

The committee chair also called on the government to provide greater transparency about the investigation’s progress.

She urged for clarification on when the findings will be published and what detail will be included in the planned update due in December, alongside how the department intends to address concerns over the delay.

In September, the HSCC published a report into black maternal health which found significant disparities in outcomes, alongside systemic failings in safety and quality of maternity care for black women.

‘These findings underscore the urgency of reform and the need for transparent, timely progress on this review,’ Ms Moran wrote in her letter.

Related Article: Supporting vulval health – what a primary care nurse needs to know

‘Taking urgent steps’

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘We are confident Baroness Amos will update in December on what she has heard so far and will continue to explore throughout the remainder of the investigation.

‘We are committed to striking the right balance between responding with the necessary urgency to improve maternity care and ensuring we have the robust tools and information needed to do so effectively.

‘We are taking urgent steps to improve maternity services and these changes from Baroness Amos will further strengthen our ability to deliver meaningful impact.’