Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress relevant authorities have made on the implementation of the immediate and essential actions from the Ockenden Review into maternity services (a) at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust and (b) nationally.

On 1 April 2022, NHS England wrote to all NHS Trust and Foundation Trust senior leaders, Integrated Care System Leads and Chairs, Local Maternity and Neonatal System Leads and Clinical Commissioning Group’s Accountability Officers. The letter highlights the 15 Immediate and Essential Actions for all maternity providers outlined in the Ockenden Report and asked all trusts to review the final report in their next public board and take any urgent action required to mitigate any risks identified and develop robust plans against areas where services need to make changes.

The Department of Health and Social Care, alongside the NHS, have set up a working group chaired by the Royal College of Midwifery and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, to help guide the implementation and next steps of the Immediate and Essential Actions of the Ockenden Report and the East Kent report. The working group have met twice.

NHS England will consider actions from both the Ockenden and East Kent reports and will map a coherent delivery plan for maternity.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust remains on the Maternity Safety Support Programme. The Trust is making good progress and continues to be supported by a full-time dedicated Maternity Improvement Adviser to help it.