Recent reports have raised serious concerns about delays to a major national review into maternity and neonatal care.
The Health and Social Care Committee has warned that these delays could undermine public confidence and prolong safety issues that the review is intended to address.
What’s happening?
The independent review, led by Baroness Amos, is examining maternity and neonatal services across 12 NHS trusts, including Oxford University Hospitals Trust.
It was expected to publish interim findings this year, but the committee has now confirmed that the call for evidence has been pushed back from November to January. This means families and mothers may have to wait longer for their voices to be heard.
Committee chair Layla Moran expressed concern about whether the review can still report by March, given the shortened timeframe for gathering evidence. She highlighted that issues such as funding, staffing shortages, and workforce retention are already well known and urgently need addressing.
Why does this matter?
Delays in identifying and addressing safety concerns in maternity care can have devastating consequences for families. The review aims to ensure lessons are learned and improvements made to prevent avoidable harm. However, every delay risks perpetuating the very problems the review seeks to solve.
The government has stated it remains “confident” that Baroness Amos will provide an update in December and that urgent steps are being taken to improve maternity services. While this reassurance is welcome, many families will understandably feel anxious about the pace of progress.
Comment
The reported delays to the national maternity and neonatal review are deeply concerning for families who have experienced poor care. Every day that passes without action risks prolonging the very safety issues this review aims to address.
Maternity care should be safe, timely, and compassionate — yet repeated investigations show systemic problems with staffing, funding, and accountability.
Against this backdrop, a prompt and thorough investigation is the minimum families deserve. That’s why these delays feel not only frustrating but deeply disheartening for those seeking answers and reassurance.
How can we help?
Danielle Young is a Partner in our Medical Negligence team, which has been ranked in tier one by the independently researched publication, The Legal 500. She specialises in pregnancy and birth injury claims (including cerebral palsy), brain injury claims, fatal claims, surgical error claims, and cauda equina injury claims.
If you have any questions in relation to the subjects discussed in this article, then please get in touch with Danielle or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
Contact us