Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting orders a rapid national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services
The investigation into NHS maternity care aims to address systemic problems dating back over 15 years in the hope of providing the truth and accountability for impacted families and driving urgent improvements to care and safety. This follows a series of meetings between the Secretary of State and families who have experienced poor NHS care and have been bereaved.
Systematic failures across NHS maternity and neonatal care
Issues in NHS maternity and neonatal care have long been reported, with multiple independent reviews into local trusts finding similar failings in compassionate care, including the failure to listen to women, concerns over safety, and issues with leadership and culture.
The investigation will begin with the worst-performing services in the country and across the entire maternity system. Using historical reported findings, the inquiry will ultimately outline a clear national set of actions to ensure that every woman and baby receives safe, high-quality, and compassionate care.
The national actions will be co-produced with clinicians, experts, and parents, all of whom will provide vital insights into the future of NHS maternity care. The work is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2025 and will be reported in detail by December 2025.
Improving care for mothers and babies in England
The investigation is accompanied by a package of immediate actions to improve care, including greater intervention by the Secretary of State and the NHS chief executive to hold failing trusts to account—a key step in delivering the government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future through the Plan for Change.
These immediate measures include:
- The NHS CEO and Chief Nursing Officer will meet with trust leaders in the areas of most significant concern over the next month to drive forward urgent improvements, outline consistent expectations for changing culture and practice, and hold leaders to account for any failures.
- A new digital system will be rolled out to all maternity services by November to flag potential safety concerns in trusts and support rapid, national action.
- An anti-discrimination programme to tackle inequalities in care for Black, Asian, and other underserved communities.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “For the past year, I have been meeting bereaved families from across the country who have lost babies or suffered serious harm during what should have been the most joyful time in their lives.
What they have experienced is devastating – deeply painful stories of trauma, loss, and a lack of basic compassion – caused by failures in NHS maternity care that should never have happened. Their bravery in speaking out has made it clear: we must act—and we must act now.
I know nobody wants better for women and babies than the thousands of NHS midwives, obstetricians, maternity and neonatal staff, and that the vast majority of births are safe and without incident. Still, it’s clear something is going wrong.
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.
We‘re also taking immediate steps to hold failing services to account and give staff the tools they need to deliver the kind, safe, respectful care every family deserves.
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.”
National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce
The investigation will come in two parts. The first will urgently investigate up to ten of the most concerning maternity and neonatal units. The second includes a system-wide review of NHS maternity and neonatal care, bringing together past failed reviews to create a clear set of actions to improve care across every NHS maternity service.
The government will also establish a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and comprising a panel of esteemed experts and bereaved families. The taskforce will work to address issues within NHS maternity care, such as addressing the inequalities that women from Black, Asian and deprived backgrounds face.
Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive at NHS England, 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 a clear set of actions for NHS leaders to ensure high-quality care for all.
Transparency will be key to understanding variation and improving care – by shining a spotlight on the areas of greatest failure, we can hold failing trusts to account. Each year, over half a million babies are born under our care and maternity safety rightly impacts public trust in the NHS – so we must act immediately to improve outcomes for the benefit of mothers, babies, families and staff.”
Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for NHS England, said: “Through this rapid investigation and the immediate actions announced today, we are determined to transform services so that every family receives safe, personalised and dignified care at one of the most significant and vulnerable times in their lives.
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.
The overwhelming majority of births in England are safe, and I’d urge all women to engage with their maternity service and raise any concerns they may have about themselves or their baby. Every birth matters and we will work to ensure all families trust their local NHS and feel supported through their maternity journey.”
