Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced a nationwide investigation into NHS maternity care failures across England, following a series of high-profile tragedies involving mothers and babies. The urgent review will target the most underperforming maternity and neonatal units and aims to restore public trust in the system.
Streeting made the announcement during his keynote address at the Royal College of Gynaecologists’ annual conference, stating: “Maternity units are failing, hospitals are failing, trusts are failing, regulators are failing.” He criticised a culture of “passing the buck” and pledged to hold the system accountable.
The investigation will scrutinise up to 10 of the worst maternity services in the country, offering families affected by unsafe care the answers and accountability they’ve long demanded. It is expected to conclude by December.
The health secretary said the cost of the inquiry would likely be significantly less than the NHS’s current clinical negligence payouts in maternity cases, which he labelled “shocking.”
Streeting noted, “We are paying out more in clinical negligence for maternity failures than we are spending on maternity services.”
Maternity Taskforce to Drive System-Wide Reform
Alongside the inquiry, the government will establish a new national maternity and neonatal taskforce. Chaired by Streeting himself, the panel will include maternity experts and bereaved families who have fought for justice.
This move follows growing pressure for an independent review after numerous scandals. Earlier this year, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust was fined £1.6 million over the deaths of three babies due to inadequate care.
The announcement also builds on findings from the 2022 Ockenden review, which revealed that hundreds of babies died or were severely harmed due to persistent failures at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust.
Streeting Apologises to Affected Families
In his speech, Streeting issued a formal apology to families harmed by NHS maternity negligence. “They describe being ignored, gaslit, lied to, manipulated,” he said. “Sorry for what the NHS has put them through… sorry that we haven’t put this right yet. They’re owed change, they’re owed accountability, and they’re owed the truth.”
Medical Leaders Back National Inquiry
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) welcomed the announcement. President Prof Ranee Thakar stressed the need for urgent reform, saying the review must produce “a definitive set of recommendations” to deliver “safe, compassionate maternity care.”
Sir Jim Mackey, NHS England Chief Executive, said the inquiry must be a turning point: “Too many women are experiencing unacceptable maternity care. Transparency and accountability are vital if we are to improve outcomes and rebuild public trust.”
With over half a million births annually under NHS care, maternity safety remains a critical measure of the health service’s integrity.
