National maternity investigation launched: Enhancing care and addressing inequalities
Yesterday, The Rt. Hon. Wes Streeting MP announced the initiation of a national maternity investigation. This investigation is designed to identify areas for improvement within maternity services across the NHS and to enhance overall care for mothers and babies.
Structure and participation in the investigation
The investigation will be "co-produced" with clinicians, experts and parents and a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce is to be set up chaired by The Rt. Hon. Wes Streeting MP.
Phases and focus of the investigation
The investigation which will start work this summer with a report due by December 2025, will consist of two parts:
The first will investigate up to 10 of the most concerning maternity and neonatal units.
The second part will undertake a system-wide review of maternity and neonatal care, including a review of the inequalities that women from Black, Asian and deprived backgrounds face.
The investigation also aims to bring together lessons from past inquiries to create one clear, national set of actions to improve care across every NHS maternity service.
Perspective from a clinical negligence lawyer
As a clinical negligence lawyer representing NHS Trusts, I have seen the challenges faced in maternity care, the devastating impact that this has on families and recognise the concerns that such investigations can raise among healthcare providers. The focus on learning from experiences and fostering a culture of transparency and continuous improvement is a cornerstone of high-quality healthcare.
Next steps and assistance
It is hoped that the findings from this investigation will provide valuable, centralised insights that can help address potential issues proactively and enhance the care provided to family's. Together, let's embrace this opportunity to review and improve maternity and neonatal practices, ensuring the highest standards of care for every family. For more information on how our specialist maternity team can assist your healthcare organisation, please contact me or visit our maternity services hub.
Contact
Kelly Buckley
Partner
kelly.buckley@brownejacobson.com
+44 (0)115 908 4867
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