England’s maternity services are failing many families, with serious problems reported across the entire care journey, according to findings from an interim national review.
An interim review led by Baroness Amos has found widespread shortcomings in maternity and neonatal care across England. The review is based on evidence from more than 8,000 submissions and meetings with over 400 families. It highlights that care quality varies sharply, with good and unsafe practices often existing within the same healthcare systems.
The review identifies six major problem areas. These include severe staff shortages and capacity pressures that have reduced or halted services, leading to delays and safety risks. Poor working relationships between clinical teams were also noted, with reports of bullying and racist behaviour by senior staff not always being addressed by management. Structural racism and inequality were found to increase the risk of adverse outcomes for women from black, Asian, deprived, and marginalised backgrounds.
Families also reported a lack of compassion and openness following baby loss or harm, often worsening trauma and preventing learning from mistakes. In addition, outdated and poorly maintained hospital buildings were cited as compromising care, with some facilities lacking appropriate bereavement spaces. Many staff told reviewers that maternity units do not have enough personnel to deliver safe care.
The review notes that these failures have been raised for years by affected families. While the government has committed to acting on the final recommendations due in April, some families and campaigners argue that a deeper statutory inquiry is needed to ensure accountability and lasting improvement.
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