As part of the government’s Plan for Change, 14 NHS trusts have become the focus of a national investigation into poor maternity and neonatal care, which in recent years the poor care has led to devastating consequences for families across England.

What is the investigation?

The investigation is being led by Baroness Amos (Labour peer) in a 2-stage process:

1. An initial investigation into the maternity and neonatal care provided by the 14 identified trusts.

2. Thereafter, a nation-wide analysis of maternity and neonatal care across all NHS trusts in England.

The 14 trusts to undergo an initial investigation have been selected as causing the current greatest concern to the government in its aim to achieve a unified standard of care. In identifying these trusts, a range of factors has been taken into consideration including Care Quality Commission’s maternity patient survey, perinatal mortality rates and trust location. Some of the 14 trusts identified include Leeds Teaching Hospitals, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital, and East Kent Hospitals.

This investigation will also look into why previous investigations and recommendations have not led to sustained improvements in care. This will run alongside a panel of experts and families, known as the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, with a view to providing recommendations for NHS trusts from the findings.

Why is this investigation necessary?

This part of the government’s Plan for Change aims to put an end to avoidable perinatal deaths and establish a unified level of maternity care across England.

Recent findings by the Care Quality Commission record that over half of NHS maternity and neonatal buildings were found to be unsatisfactory, no longer meeting the basic safety standards. Further, it has been reported that sadly over 200 babies died between 2000 – 2019, deaths which could have been avoided and have caused devastating consequences for families.

The government aims to understand the experience of affected families, identify current failures, and drive improvements in maternity and neonatal care across England.

What will the future look like?

Baroness Amos aims to deliver interim findings of the investigations into the 14 identified trusts by this Christmas, to later follow with one clear set of recommendations for all trusts nationwide.

As part of JMW's clinical negligence team we see all too often the devastating impact that poor maternity and neonatal care has on families. With the investigations underway, it will be interesting to see what is revealed from the findings and what lessons the government can learn. The public need to see not only proposed recommendations, but active steps being taken to improve care for families nationwide.