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A new maternity and neonatal National Taskforce and Commissioner has been announced ahead of a National Action plan to be published in December 2026 to overhaul services and drive long-term change in maternity care in response to the final report and recommendations of the Independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation led by Baroness Amos.
The investigation across 12 Trusts to review maternity and neonatal services found structural and systemic issues, including:
1. Women not being listened to
2. Insufficient staffing levels
3. Demand and capacity issues
4. Leadership and governance challenges
5. Meaningless response when things go wrong
6. Inequalities linked to ethnicity, socioeconomic status, language, disability and gender
7. Estates not fit for purpose
8. Poor IT systems
“Too many women, babies and families have been harmed, bereaved or badly let down by maternity care, and too often women and families who raised concerns were not listened to.
“This has to change. Women and families must be taken seriously when they say something is wrong, and staff must feel able to speak up when they are worried about safety.
“The NHS is determined to address this quickly and we will work with the new maternity and neonatal commissioner to achieve this. NHS leaders are also coming together today to set out how immediate actions can be taken across all maternity and neonatal services in England to improve safety and the support and care offered to women and families.”
The National Action plan will set out priority actions and long-term reform to deliver safer, fairer care. This will be supported by the government investing a further £41 million to tackle urgent safety risks in maternity and neonatal facilities.
Read more at www.gov.uk
Visit the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation website
Featured Event:
Recognising & Responding to Maternal Deterioration: Ensuring effective use of MEWS
Thu, 10 Dec 2026 | Virtual, Online
