Substandard Maternity Care

A review by Baroness Amos published last month shed a light on our broken NHS maternity services. 
Almost 2 out of 3 maternity wards are considered unsafe. 

While the absolute risk of maternal death remains very low, the UK has one of the highest maternal death rates among major European nations. Women are being routinely silenced, and staff who raise the alarm on unsafe care are being dismissed and bullied.

Liberal Democrats have long campaigned for the creation of a Maternity Commissioner to oversee the system, improving transparency and accountability. We tabled an amendment to the Health Bill to create such a post and  we were delighted when the Government committed to do so. As the Bill enters the Report Stage, we are continuing to press for the commissioner to be given real, independent power and for wider action to address the maternity crisis. 

“However this is not the case in Wirral,” Heswall campaigner Elizabeth Brame said. “Maternity services at Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WUTH) are officially rated as Good, with  areas of Outstanding practice.”

 This assessment was made by the Care Quality Commission, which praised the trust for being safe and well led.   “It is appalling that so many maternity services are not up to the standard of WUHT,”Elizabeth added.

Liberal Democrats’ research found that clinical negligence claims cost the NHS £1.3bn last year. 

Our plan would see the number of these claims fall dramatically- by bringing all our maternity units up to good or outstanding standards of safety, and reducing the likelihood of clinical error- delivering substantial savings longer term, and the high level of maternity care that mothers and babies deserve.