Health Secretary on plans for tackling poor maternity services
As the health secretary James Murray sets out his plans for tackling the dire state of UK maternity services, Stylist’s Miranda Larbi asks what’s really going to change?
For the second time in a week, a review of maternity services in the UK has found that women and families are being ignored and dismissed during birth – and that has led to serious and sometimes fatal outcomes.
Following Donna Ockenden’s report into Nottingham University Hospital trust, this rapid review by Baroness Valerie Amos looked at maternity services across the country and found the situation to be equally dire.
The system, she told Radio 4’s Today Programme, is “not fit for the now, and it is not fit for the future”. Among eight recommendations, she has demanded the appointment of an independent maternity commissioner who’ll work alongside NHS leaders to drive change and report to families, parliament and the health select committee annually on how things are going.
James Murray, the health secretary, told Stylist that families had trusted the NHS with the most precious moments of their lives and that “today’s report shows how badly that trust was broken”.
“Behind every case identified is a woman, baby and family who has experienced immeasurable pain from the care they received. I have spoken to families and listened to their heartbreaking stories. I know that change must happen to ensure that systemic flaws are addressed once and for all.
“Stylist has done phenomenal work in highlighting the issues faced around maternal health, and I want to reassure every woman who’s spoken about their experiences that action is being taken.”
He confirmed that the UK’s first ever maternity and neonatal commissioner will be appointed to “ensure the voices of women are heard, placing them at the heart of the redesigned maternity and neonatal service” and cited campaigners like Louise Thompson and former MP Theo Clarke for their relentless advocacy.
In another positive step, Murray also committed to rolling out Martha’s rule across all maternity and neonatal settings in England, to “help end the culture of medical misogyny and give every patient the right to a rapid review from an independent medical team if their or their babies’ condition is deteriorating and they or their family are concerned this is not being responded to”.
While this is all very welcome news, more still needs to be done – something the health secretary seems committed to.
“We cannot right the injustices of the past, but I am determined that work is done to create a national maternity and neonatal service where women feel safe and heard at a time when they most need our care,” he said.
But Tinuke Awe of FiveXMore told Stylist: “[The Amos report] is a bunch of recommendations all over again – but we need real, tangible action, or it’s more of the same. Again.”
And she has a point: where’s the public inquiry? Where are the laws that could actually stop and prosecute overworked and disenchanted staff for making terrible mistakes?
Women are terrified to give birth in this country, and if we’re to change that, we need to see concrete change – and that involves holding hospitals and staff to account.
It’s a fact that Black women are more at risk of dying in childbirth. It’s a fact that women are being denied pain relief and having issues ignored. It’s a fact that families are starting out from a place of trauma. How is that acceptable in 2026? A maternity commissioner is one step in the right direction, but we need more.