Over 30 organisations sign letter to the Government calling for ‘urgent and meaningful intervention’
Organisations representing the maternity sector have today called for an ‘urgent and meaningful intervention from the Government’ to make their 2019 manifesto commitment of making the ‘NHS the ‘best place in the world to give birth’ a reality.
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, the Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey, coordinated by Birthrights and signed by over 30 organisations, the sector urges the Government to address critical issues facing the delivery of safe maternity care.
This letter come after former Secretary of State for Health & Social Care Steve Barclay suggested that maternity services should be ‘deprioritised’, and the publication of the final report from the independent investigation into East Kent maternity services, due today (21st September) was delayed by the Government. The BBC has also today reported that more than half of maternity units in England are failing to meet safety standards, with 48% of units rated as requiring improvement and 7% rated as posing a high risk of avoidable harm by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Francesca Treadaway, Policy & Engagement Director at Birthrights said:
‘The crisis facing maternity services, in particular the long-standing staffing shortages across the maternity workforce, must be a high priority for the new Secretary of State for Health & Social Care. Poor maternity care has well-evidenced long term and ongoing physical and mental health implications for those giving birth, their babies, and their families – the Ockenden report, for example, outlined how short staffing played a significant role in the scandals that occurred at Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital.
‘For the NHS to be truly the ‘best place in the world to give birth’ and ensure the delivery of a world leading, safe, personalised, equitable, and high-quality rights respecting maternity service, the Government must act.’
The letter in full
Sent by email
The Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
CC: Dr Caroline Johnson MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
21st September 2022
Dear Dr Coffey
Making the NHS the ‘best place in the world to give birth’
Congratulations on your appointment as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. As leading representatives of the maternity sector, we hope to work with you to ensure the delivery of a world leading, safe, personalised, equitable, and high-quality rights respecting maternity service.
In the 2019 Conservative Manifesto your party committed to making the ‘NHS the best place in the world to give birth’, which we welcomed, together with the 2021 Health and Social Care Committee recommendation to increase investment in maternity services to £250-300 million.
This is now critical to addressing the poor maternity care which has well-evidenced long term and ongoing physical and mental health implications for those giving birth, their babies, and their families. Today, on the day that the independent investigation into East Kent maternity services was due to publish its now-delayed final report, the maternity sector is calling for urgent and meaningful intervention from the Government.
We ask you to continue building on your actions to date by committing to the following:
- Accept the Health and Social Care Committee recommendation to increase resources across the NHS and set out a workforce plan with measures to increase retention and support for staff. The long-standing staffing crisis is putting pressure on maternity services. Midwives are leaving in record numbers due to being unable to give the care they are trained to give, while there are shortages of other parts of the maternity workforce, including obstetricians, sonographers, and neonatal staff. The Ockenden report, published this year, also outlined how short staffing played a significant role in the scandals that occurred at Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital.
- Renew your commitment to implementing the recent Women’s Health Strategy that seeks to be ambitious in its approach to improving the quality and accessibility of services and information around women’s health.
- Ensure that the learning and recommendations are taken forward from the Maternity Transformation Programme (Better Births) (including the rollout of continuity of carer as a default mode of maternity care), the NHS Long Term Plan, the Ockenden report and the upcoming East Kent Hospitals Maternity Services report) to improve the quality of maternity services and outcomes.
We would be delighted to meet with you to discuss our collective work and impact to date and ways we can work together for a maternity service that delivers quality, safe, and rights respecting maternity care.
Yours sincerely
Francesca Treadaway, Policy & Engagement Director, Birthrights
Kath Abrahams, Chief Executive, Tommy’s
Ruth Bender Atik, National Director, The Miscarriage Association
Catherine Benhura, Founder & Director, Mum’s Pride CIC
Ros Bragg, Director, Maternity Action
Joeli Brierley, Founder and Director, Pregnant then Screwed
Christina Brown, Founder & CEO, The Motivational Mums Club
Jo Dagustun, AIMS
Professor Soo Downe, University of Central Lancashire
Dr Alan C Fenton, Consultant Neonatologist. Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust
Dr. Alain Gregoire, Honorary President and Founding Chair, Maternal Mental Health Alliance
Dr Kathryn Gutteridge, Midwifery Unit Network
Gill Harrison, Professional Officer (Ultrasound), The Society and College of Radiographers
Clea Harmer, Chief Executive, Sands
Elizabeth Hutton, Chief Executive, Kicks Count
Sandra Igwe, Founder & CEO, The Motherhood Group
Kay King, Movement Director, White Ribbon Alliance UK
Professor Jenny Kurinczuk, Director, National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit (NPEU)
Dr Michael Lane FRCGP, London Maternity Lead, Royal College of General Practitioners
Judy Ledger, CEO & Founder, Baby Lifeline
Caroline Lee-Davey, Chief Executive, Bliss
Shauna Leven, Chief Executive, Twins Trust
Nicky Lyon, Co-founder, Campaign for Safer Births
Angela McConville, Chief Executive, National Childbirth Trust (NCT)
Mary Newburn, Convenor, Charities’ and Service Users’ Maternity Continuity of Carer Network
Ayala Ochert, Co-Chair, Better Breastfeeding
Elliott Rae, Founder, Music Football Fatherhood
Laura-Rose Thorogood, Founder and Director, LGBT Mummies
Maureen Treadwell, Trustee and Co-Founder, Birth Trauma Association
Carina White, Co-Founder, Black Mums Upfront
Nikki Wilson, Chief Executive, Make Birth Better
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Birthrights is the UK charity that champions respectful maternity care by protecting human rights. We provide advice and legal information to women and birthing people, train healthcare professionals to deliver rights-respecting care and campaign to change maternity policy and systems.
About Birthrights
Birthrights is the UK charity that champions respectful maternity care by protecting human rights. We provide advice and legal information to women and birthing people, train healthcare professionals to deliver rights-respecting care and campaign to change maternity policy and systems.