Safety of maternity services in England

Health and Social Care Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 24 Jul 2020 Closed: 26 Oct 2021 Parliament page
This inquiry will examine evidence relating to ongoing safety concerns with maternity services. It will build upon investigations that followed incidents at East Kent Hospitals University Trust and Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust, as well as the inquiry into the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust. We will … Read more
23 Recommendations
8 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
6 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 13 events
21 Sep
2021
Report published
7 Jul
2021
Correspondence
6 Jul
2021
Report published
6 Jul
2021
Correspondence
15 Jun
2021
Correspondence
25 May
2021
Correspondence
27 Apr
2021
Correspondence
2 Feb
2021
Oral evidence
19 Jan
2021
Oral evidence
6 Jan
2021
Correspondence
15 Dec
2020
Oral evidence
3 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
2 Feb 2021
View on parliament.uk
Dr Matthew Jolly · NHS England Ms Nadine Dorries · Department of Health and Social Care Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent · NHS England and NHS Improvement Sarah-Jane Marsh · NHS England William Vineall · Department of Health and Social Care
19 Jan 2021
View on parliament.uk
Andrea Sutcliffe · Nursing and Midwifery Council Charlie Massey · General Medical Council Doctor Daghni Rajasingam · The Shelford Group Gill Adgie · Royal College of Midwives Jo Mounfield · Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Niamh Maguire · Sussex Local Maternity System Professor James Walker · Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch Sara Ledger · Baby Lifeline
15 Dec 2020
View on parliament.uk
Clotilde Rebecca Abe · FiveXMore Campaign Donna Ockenden · Independent review into Maternity Services at The Shrewsbury And Telford Hospitals - Maternity Admin Dr Edward Morris · The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) Gill Walton · Royal College of Midwives Professor Gordon Smith · University of Cambridge Professor Jenny Kurinczuk · University of Oxford Professor Marian Knight · National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit Tinuke Awe · Five x More
3 Nov 2020
View on parliament.uk
Darren Smith, bereaved parent Dr Jenny Vaughan · Doctors' Association UK Dr Pelle Gustafson · Swedish Patient Insurer Dr Sonia MacLeod Helen Vernon · NHS Resolution James Titcombe, bereaved parent
29 Sep 2020
View on parliament.uk
Dr Bill Kirkup · Morecambe Bay maternity investigation and East Kent maternity investigation Dr Matthew Jolly · NHS England Miss Michelle Hemmington · Campaign for Safer Births Professor Jacqueline Dunkley Bent · NHS England and NHS Improvement Professor Ted Baker · Care Quality Commission
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - The safety of maternity services in England HC 19 6 Jul 2021 31 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
2 Conclusion Deferred
Fourth Report - The safety of mate…
With 8 out of 10 midwives reporting that they did not have enough staff on...
With 8 out of 10 midwives reporting that they did not have enough staff on their shift to provide a safe service, it is clear that urgent action is needed to address staffing shortfalls in maternity services. Evidence submitted to … Read more
Government Response
The government is considering this conclusion, noting recent investment for 1,200 additional midwives and 100 consultant obstetricians and the commissioning of a new workforce planning tool. They will take recommendations on funding for staffing into consideration and assess workforce levels, but do not commit to further funding at this stage.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
3 Recommendation Deferred
Fourth Report - The safety of mate…
We recommend that the budget for maternity services be increased by £200–350m per annum with...
We recommend that the budget for maternity services be increased by £200–350m per annum with immediate effect. This funding increase should be kept under close review as more precise modelling is carried out on the obstetric workforce and as Trusts … Read more
Government Response
The government is considering the recommendation for an immediate budget increase for maternity services, noting recent investment and an ongoing assessment of workforce levels, but does not commit to the specific funding amount or immediate action.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
18 Conclusion Deferred
Fourth Report - The safety of mate…
Providing appropriate financial redress to families after an incident is important.
Providing appropriate financial redress to families after an incident is important. However, the rising costs of maternity claims without sufficient learning and outdated mechanisms for calculating compensation is unsustainable. It is particularly unfair that wealthier families receive more compensation for … Read more
Government Response
The government states it will publish a consultation on patient safety and rising clinical negligence costs, with decisions on next steps to be taken after the consultation, thereby deferring action on the issues raised in the committee's conclusion.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
19 Recommendation Deferred
Fourth Report - The safety of mate…
While the review of the negligence system is underway, we recommend the Department must implement...
While the review of the negligence system is underway, we recommend the Department must implement the Rapid Redress and Resolution Scheme in full. We also recommend the Department provides the Committee with the scope and timetable for its review of … Read more
Government Response
The government plans to consult on next steps to address clinical negligence costs, stating that decisions will be made following this consultation, rather than committing to implement the Rapid Redress and Resolution Scheme in full or providing a review timetable.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
20 Recommendation Deferred
Fourth Report - The safety of mate…
We recommend that following that review, the Department brings forward proposals for litigation reforms that...
We recommend that following that review, the Department brings forward proposals for litigation reforms that award compensation for maternity cases based on whether an incident was avoidable rather than a requirement to prove clinical negligence. That approach would allow families … Read more
Government Response
The government will publish a consultation on litigation reforms to improve patient safety and address rising costs, with decisions on next steps to be taken only after the consultation.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
21 Recommendation Deferred
Fourth Report - The safety of mate…
In addition, we recommend that the Department and NHS Resolution remove the need to compensate...
In addition, we recommend that the Department and NHS Resolution remove the need to compensate on the basis of private healthcare provision where appropriate NHS care is available; and that compensation is standardised against the national average wage to prevent … Read more
Government Response
The Government plans to consult on next steps to address the rising costs of clinical negligence, with decisions to be made after the consultation.
Department of Health and Social Care
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 30 of 23 classified
Accepted 7
Accepted in Part 16
Deferred 6
Rejected 1
Total 23 recs + 8 conclusions
Correspondence 6 letters
7 Jul 2021 Correction to written evidence submitted by NHS Resolution to the Safety of maternity services in England inquiry
Parliament page
6 Jul 2021 Transcript of maternity services roundtable with clinicians on 7 January 2021
Parliament page
15 Jun 2021 To committee Letter from NHS Providers on maternity workforce expansion
Parliament page
25 May 2021 To committee Letter from the Royal College of Midwives on the Committee's inquiry into Safety of maternity services in England
Parliament page
27 Apr 2021 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health on the maternity workforce gap
Parliament page
6 Jan 2021 To committee Letter from Dr Jenny Vaughan following up from a question asked during the Saftey of maternity services in England session on 3 November
Parliament page