Fourth Report - The safety of maternity services in England

The government states it is considering the recommendation but confirms its existing commitment to funding the RCOG to develop a workforce planning tool to calculate obstetrician requirements. The response details the tool's purpose but does not explicitly address the recommendation for it to include anaesthetist workforce requirements.

The government accepts in part, stating that funding was announced in March 2021 for multi-disciplinary team training. NHSEI will undertake further work to align this funding with a Core Competency Framework and monitor its impact on training, also noting existing incentive schemes.

The government accepts the recommendation in part, citing the development of a Core Competency Framework and allocated funding for multi-disciplinary training and staff backfill. Further work is planned to align this funding with the framework and monitor its impact.

The government accepts the recommendation in part, confirming funding for maternity training and staff backfill, and the development of a Core Competency Framework. NHSEI will undertake further work to align funding and monitor training, leveraging existing incentive schemes, but does not explicitly commit to ringfencing budgets and public reporting as requested.

The government accepts the recommendation, describing the development of a Core Competency Framework for essential training targets, with stretch targets to be considered later. While the MTP cannot enforce targets as it is not a regulator, it will collaborate with Royal Colleges and the CQC to share information and support inspection programmes.

The government accepts the recommendation in part, detailing HSIB's ongoing efforts to improve family engagement and the timeliness of reports through enhanced collaboration, awareness building, and feedback mechanisms. It also notes future provisions in the Health and Care Bill regarding who will carry out maternity investigations.

The Government accepts the recommendation in part, outlining HSIB's ongoing work to improve the timeliness of investigations, strengthen collaboration with trusts, and enhance engagement with multidisciplinary teams, including through surveys and staff engagement videos.

The Government accepts the recommendation in part, stating HSIB will continue investigations and noting that HSIB has already made changes in the last year to improve timeliness, collaboration, and engagement with trusts and staff, including conducting surveys and creating engagement videos.

The Government accepts the recommendation in part, stating HSIB is working with academic partners to develop meaningful data for public sharing, and a new single notification portal (LFPSE) will be commissioned to streamline data collection and sharing across organisations.

The government accepts the recommendation in part, committing to commission a single notification portal in 2021/22 to streamline data collection and enable sharing. It also highlights existing efforts through the CNST MIS and a Maternity Services Dashboard to improve data and identify gaps.

The government accepts the recommendation in part, noting that health disparities have complex causes beyond the Department's sole remit. It outlines existing initiatives like the NHS Mandate's aim for reduction in disparities, support for PIGF based tests, the Maternity Transformation Programme, and the commitment to Equity Action Plans.

The government accepts this recommendation in part, pointing to the NHS Mandate's aim for year-on-year reductions in health disparities for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic women. They highlight various ongoing initiatives and Equity Action Plans due by February 2022, but do not commit to a specific target with a clear timeframe to end the disparity as requested.

The government accepts this recommendation in part, outlining ongoing programmes for personalised and safe care, multi-disciplinary training, and shared decision tools. NHSEI has an improvement oversight group for personalised care and aims for every woman to have a Personalised Care and Support Plan by March 2022. The RCM has also established the Re:Birth Project to develop a consensus on terminology.

The government accepts this conclusion in part, outlining ongoing programmes for personalised and safe care, multi-disciplinary training, and shared decision tools. NHSEI has an improvement oversight group for personalised care and aims for every woman to have a Personalised Care and Support Plan by March 2022, addressing the need for women to be fully informed.

The government accepts the recommendation in part, focusing on personalised care, multi-disciplinary training, and shared decision-making tools, with an ambition for every woman to have a Personalised Care and Support Plan by March 2022. It also notes a project to develop consensus on birth terminology.

The government accepts this recommendation in part, stating NHSEI has an improvement oversight group focused on personalised care and support planning, aiming for every woman to have a Personalised Care and Support Plan by March 2022. This addresses the intent for informed choice but does not explicitly commit to establishing the specific working group with the full remit outlined in the recommendation.