Protecting human rights in childbirth
Registered Charity Number 1151152
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While we welcome the DHSC’s recent announcement that thousands of new jobs will be unlocked for newly qualified nurses and midwives, we are concerned about how this will be implemented effectively and how support will be guaranteed in practice — support for existing staff is equally critical.
Five X More launched their powerful new report this week: the ‘Black Maternity Experiences Report 2025’.
An analysis based on NHS figures shows that the potential cost of maternity negligence claims in England since 2019 has reached £27.4 billion, more than the entire maternity care budget in the same period.
Keir Starmer has laid out more detail of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan. While we welcome long-term plans to bring care back into community, we need concrete action NOW to ensure access to safe, rights-respecting neighbourhood health services and maternity care.
Shanthi Gunesekera and Janaki Mahadevan will be stepping down as Birthrights co-CEOs from July 2025. Birthrights’ trustees have now started recruitment for a new CEO/s.
Healthcare regulators are meant to protect the public but their toxic cultures perpetrate so many of the key problems rife in maternity care.
Healthcare regulators are meant to protect the public but their toxic cultures perpetrate so many of the key problems rife in maternity care.
The latest CQC State of Care report is a damning reflection on the state of the NHS and the inability of current structures to address significant failings and systemic inequalities across the health system.
Too often there is a lack of understanding of how the law applies to maternity care among the healthcare professionals that deliver maternity care, the managers and commissioners of services or even the regulators.
The report once again shows that our maternity care system is in crisis; and it disproportionately impacts the most marginalised women and birthing people.