Major review finds NHS maternity services failing
A major report by Baroness Amos found repeated failures in NHS maternity care, including systemic racism and misogyny. The government promised reform and appointed a maternity commissioner.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A major review of NHS maternity services in England has found repeated failures, including instances of systemic racism and misogyny, and concluded that urgent reform is needed. The report, led by Baroness Valerie Amos, investigated 12 NHS trusts and spoke to 450 families. It described a system where women are not listened to, heard or believed, and where care is not consistently safe, high quality or compassionate.
The government has responded by agreeing to appoint a National Maternity Commissioner, who will be accountable to Parliament and have a relentless focus on improving maternity and neonatal care. The commissioner will report annually to Parliament and twice a year to the Health and Social Care Select Committee. Baroness Amos said the role is about holding the system accountable, not about an individual holding all the power.
The review makes eight recommendations, including setting national safety standards, treating racism as a critical maternity safety issue, making investigations into deaths and harms more transparent, and creating a modern service framework. It also calls for families to have the right to ask for an independent investigation if harm is caused, and for all families to receive a debrief discussion after birth.
However, some families who have lost babies or suffered harm said the report does not go far enough. They want a statutory public inquiry, arguing that previous reports have gathered dust and not led to real change. The Health Secretary said the government is taking immediate steps, including rolling out Martha's Rule in maternity services to allow families to request a second medical opinion, and publishing new national triage standards. A national action plan for maternity services is due by the end of the year.
The review follows a series of similar reports over the past decade, including the Ockendon review into Nottingham maternity services, which also highlighted failures. The government has set up a task force to drive forward the changes, but many families remain sceptical that this time will be different.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | Channel 4 | GB News | ITV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Some bereaved families said the review was a missed opportunity and are still calling for a full public inquiry. | ||||
| The Amos review found repeated failures in NHS maternity care, including systemic racism and misogyny, and concluded care is not fit for purpose. | ||||
| The government will appoint the UK's first National Maternity Commissioner to oversee improvements. | ||||
| The government said it will roll out Martha's Rule in maternity services to allow families to request a second medical opinion. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Channel 5's coverage combined a brief lunchtime summary with a longer evening segment that focused on the human cost of failures, including a whistleblower midwife and an interview with MP Michelle (national maternity advisor). The tone was critical, highlighting repeated failures and questioning whether a commissioner would bring real change.
- “You just give up you give up Reporting and she's you give up trying to improve the service because you go in and just hope that nothing drastic happens on your share”
- “The government has agreed to appoint a national maternity commissioner to drive change.”
- “It is dangerous to put all of the responsibility in the lap of one person”
ITV1's coverage was detailed and emotional, featuring the story of Bryony Russo whose daughter Emmy died. It included an interview with a charity head and highlighted the resignation of Dr Bill Kirkup from the review over disagreements about pressure on women to give birth without intervention. The tone was sympathetic to families and called for systemic change.
- “It was very blasé, like you don't need to ask us anything.”
- “No one goes to work in the morning wanting to do harm.”
- “Change that all involved agree is desperately needed.”
Channel 4 focused on families' disappointment that Baroness Amos stopped short of calling for a statutory public inquiry. It featured the case of Alison Pedro from Oxford and included an interview with the Health Secretary who avoided guaranteeing that services are currently safe. The tone was investigative and critical of the government's response.
- “It just needs to go so much further.”
- “We need a judge led public inquiry.”
- “I think basically that is what has happened too often.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.