Government launches ‘rapid’ national inquiry into maternity services

The health and social care secretary has today launched a national inquiry to examine maternity and neonatal services across England following a series of care scandals.

The investigation will urgently look at the worst-performing services in the country, alongside the maternity system as a whole.

Wes Streeting announced the investigation following a series of maternity scandals across the country over the past 15 years, including at Morecambe Bay, Telford and East Kent.

The investigation will examine the entire maternity system to produce a clear set of ‘national actions’ to ensure all parents receive safe and high-quality maternity care.

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It will be co-produced with clinicians, experts and parents and follows a series of private meetings which took place between the health secretary and families who have been harmed or bereaved by failures in maternity care.

Speaking today, Mr Streeting said what the families experienced was ‘devastating’ and caused by ‘failures that should never have happened’.

He said: ‘That’s why I’ve ordered a rapid national investigation to make sure these families get the truth and the accountability they deserve, and ensure no parent or baby is ever let down again. I want staff to come with us on this, to improve things for everyone.

‘Maternity care should be the litmus test by which this government is judged on patient safety, and I will do everything in my power to ensure no family has to suffer like this again.

How will the investigation be run?

The investigation will begin this summer and be completed by December 2025.

It will be divided into two parts, with the first working to fix ‘up to 10’ of the most concerning maternity and neonatal units in England.

As part of this, England’s chief nursing officer Duncan Burton and NHS England chief executive, Jim Mackey will meet the trusts of ‘greatest concern’ including Leeds, Gloucester, Mid and South Essex and Sussex ‘to hold them to account for improvement working with the NHS leadership’, the health secretary said.

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The second part of the investigation will take a system-wide look at maternity and neonatal care, combining lessons from previous inquiries to produce a clear set of national actions to improve care across every NHS maternity service.

The government has today announced it is also establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, which will be chaired by the health secretary, and will include experts and bereaved families.

Kate Brintworth, chief midwifery officer for NHS England, said the investigation will ‘transform services’ so all families receive ‘safe, personalised and dignified care’.

‘We know we have significant issues to address concerning safety and culture within maternity and neonatal services, and Black and Asian women and those in deprived areas still face worse outcomes, so we must redouble our efforts to improve care for all,’ she stressed.

In an exclusive interview with Nursing in Practice in May, Ms Brintworth highlighted how community midwives are working to support families by tackling inequalities and improving healthcare accessibility. 

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Interim chief executive and registrar at the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Paul Rees, said today: ‘Every woman, baby and family has the right to expect safe and effective maternity care, wherever they are.

‘We welcome this rapid investigation and look forward to working with the independent taskforce and the Department of Health and Social Care to drive forward urgent improvements, and tackle the scourge of health inequalities.’