Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a statutory public inquiry into systemic issues with maternity and neonatal services.

The Government is committed to making pregnancy and maternity and neonatal care safer, supporting families through every stage of that journey, and giving every child the best possible start in life.

The findings of both Baroness Amos’ independent investigation into maternity and neonatal services, and Donna Ockenden’s review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust underline the scale and urgency of the challenge we face. Too many women, babies, and families have experienced unacceptable care, and too many families continue to live with the devastating consequences when services fail.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has made this issue a personal priority, and is chairing the Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce to develop a single, national action plan – reflecting the recommendations from the Amos and Ockenden reviews – that will drive systemic and sustained improvement across maternity and neonatal care, and deliver lasting change for women, families, and their babies.

We recognise the importance of ensuring that the experiences of families affected by maternity and neonatal harm are reflected in the Taskforce’s work. The Taskforce is supported by three family expert reference groups made up of individuals with lived experience of maternity and neonatal care, including women and families who have experienced harm, parents and families caring for children affected by maternity and neonatal harm, and families who have experienced bereavement. The chairs of these groups sit on the Taskforce and represent the views and priorities raised by their members.

The Taskforce is also considering as a matter of urgency the full scope and role of the Maternity and Neonatal Commissioner prior to the appointment of that post.