Racism And 'poor' Staff Relationships Factors In Maternity Care Failings, Report Finds

Maternity services successful England are failing "too many" families, pinch problems "at each stage" of nan maternity journey, an interim study has found.

Racism, staffing and accountability issues were among six factors identified by Baroness Amos, who is starring a government-commissioned review.

More than 8,000 group person truthful acold submitted evidence, pinch Baroness Amos gathering much than 400 families.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has promised to enactment connected her last recommendations, which are owed successful April.

Baroness Amos told BBC Breakfast: "I person seen bad, poor, bully and fantabulous attraction co-existing broadside by side.

"Families person described to maine bully experiences, unspeakable experiences. It is patchy, it is inconsistent and what this investigation is about, is trying to find retired nan things that move america from mediocre and bad to bully and excellent.

"I americium capable to opportunity categorically that location is safe care. There is bully care, I person seen examples of it. But, I person besides seen measurement excessively galore examples of mediocre care.

"What I person heard from families it is truthful traumatic and distressing. I person seen Trusts that person changed their practices arsenic a consequence of what has happened successful those trusts. It is simply a very mixed picture. It is not consistent."

In her interim report, Baroness Amos centred her findings connected six cardinal areas. Issues recovered included:

Baroness Amos besides said successful a connection that it was "clear from nan meetings and conversations I person had pinch hundreds of women, families and unit members crossed nan country, that maternity and neonatal services successful England are failing excessively galore women, babies, families and staff".

Failures wrong nan strategy person been known about, and reported on, for years. The BBC has spent much than a decade speaking to bereaved and harmed families pursuing mediocre attraction astatine Morecambe Bay, Shrewsbury & Telford, East Kent, Nottingham, Leeds and a number of different NHS Trusts, gathering grounds of failing maternity services.

Orlando Davis died successful September 2021, aged 14 days, aft unit astatine Worthing Hospital successful Sussex grounded to spot his mother had developed hyponatremia, a little than normal level of sodium successful nan bloodstream, during labour. An inquest concluded that neglect had contributed to nan infant's death.

His mother, Robyn, said that "not listening to my concerns is nan main logic we're sat present without our son".

Her hubby Jonathan believes location is simply a "cultural" problem wrong maternity services that midwives judge they cognize amended arsenic they are nan professionals. In existent fact, he said, "the only 1 that genuinely knows what's going connected successful that individual's assemblage is nan mother".

The mates are portion of a group, Truth for Our Babies, who are campaigning for an independent investigation into maternity services astatine nan University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust. Earlier this month, BBC News and nan New Statesman recovered that at slightest 55 babies complete a five-year period mightiness person survived pinch amended care.

The Davis family does not judge that nan Amos reappraisal will lead to amended attraction crossed England and are calling for a statutory inquiry.

"It's not going heavy enough... it's not conscionable what's happening astatine these hospitals. It's nan regulators arsenic well," said Robyn. The regulators are not being reviewed by Baroness Amos.

"As families, we person received lacklustre care," added Jonathan. "We [therefore] merit nan golden modular of accountability - and progressing a rushed, high-level review, alternatively of a statutory inquiry, is not receiving nan golden standard.

"Future mothers and early children whitethorn not suffer nan aforesaid irreversible destiny that we person if a [properly] conducted enquiry happens."

Labour MP Michelle Welsh, a salient campaigner connected maternity safety, says location is simply a threat nan Amos reappraisal will go a damp squib and is urging nan authorities to enactment decisively, including creating a maternity commissioner responsible for ensuring attraction improves.

"This enquiry must consequence successful immoderate big, bold policies pinch regards to maternity services, that really says that arsenic a authorities we want to amended maternity services, we want to put successful it, and we will unafraid nan truth and accountability for families," she said.

Announcing nan reappraisal past June, Streeting besides promised that he would chair a maternity taskforce early this twelvemonth to thrust improvements. But it's emerged this week that nan group has not yet been established. The Department for Health and Social Care said they would beryllium announcing nan rank "shortly".

"It is important that nan taskforce is established arsenic soon arsenic possible," said Welsh, "because without it we don't person that driving unit [and] those big, bold policies."

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