An East Lancashire MP has thrown his support behind a national inquiry into maternity wards.
Andy MacNae, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, welcomed Monday morning’s announcement from Wes Streeting that looked to investigate “systemic” failures in NHS maternity wards.
Wes Streeting said that “up and down” the country “maternity units are failing, hospitals are failing, trusts are failing, regulators are failing” and there was “too much passing the buck”.
He stopped short of launching a statutory public inquiry, despite it being the wish of some bereaved families, but said he would keep “that option open”.
Whilst East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust’s maternity ward was graded ‘good’ by the CQC and the services were ranked as some of the best in England, it was told to pay out a combined £24million in negligence claims between 2019 and 2023.
Mr MacNae has said he heard “countless” heartbreaking stories from bereaved families who had been undermined or ignored by wards.
He said: “Having heard countless heartbreaking stories from bereaved families, who have been undermined and ignored, I welcome the decision today to launch an urgent national investigation into maternity services.
“The APPG for Baby Loss has been loudly calling for national action, and we are grateful to Wes Streeting for recognising the urgent need for change.
“This investigation must serve as a turning point, allowing us to finally and comprehensively address the issues that have plagued maternity care for nearly two decades.
“I’m encouraged by the aim to rapidly drive through these improvements, with the investigation aiming to provide actionable recommendations by as soon as December this year.”
Mr Streeting apologised on behalf of the NHS, having met families in Nottingham and around the country whose children have died or been injured.
Senior midwife Donna Ockenden is currently examining how hundreds of babies died or were injured in the care of Nottingham University Hospitals Trust.
The Health Secretary said risk is “considerably higher” than it should be for women and babies because of a “crisis” in maternity and neonatal services.
He also uncovered that babies of black ethnicity are twice as likely to be stillborn than babies of white ethnicity, and black women are three times more likely to die during pregnancy or shortly after than white women.
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Mr MacNae added: “I’m also grateful to see that the Secretary of State will be launching a national programme to tackle head-on the severe inequalities in care for those from deprived, black and Asian communities.
“The inequalities in outcome for these groups is truly shocking, as the APPG for Baby Loss has been highlighting, so I wholeheartedly welcome this new programme.”
The first part of the investigation will be looking into the trusts of greatest concern, including Gloucester, Leeds and South Essex.
It will then take a system-wide look at maternity and neonatal care to create a “clear set of actions” to improve national NHS care.
The Royal College of Midwives' chief executive, Gill Walton, said: “Every woman and family should leave maternity and neonatal services whole, happy and healthy.
“Yet we know that, for far too many, that isn’t their experience.
“Systemic failings and a lack of attention to the warning signs have let those families down and let down the hardworking staff who are trying so hard to provide the care they deserve.
“Everyone involved in maternity services: the midwifery community, obstetricians, anaesthetists, sonographers and, of course, the women and families in their care, knows that maternity services are at, or even beyond, breaking point.
“This renewed focus and commitment by the Health Secretary to deliver change is welcome, and we will do everything we can to support him in doing so.”
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