Backbench Business

Jim Dickson intervened to share the story of his constituents Phoebe and Jim Brooks, who tragically lost their son Jasper due to serious failings in his care at Darent Valley hospital. He emphasised the need to implement the recommendations of the Amos review and suggested the necessity of a full statutory public inquiry into UK maternity safety.

Peter Swallow paid tribute to the bravery of Jesse’s parents in campaigning for placental cord insertion to be routinely assessed as part of a 20-week scan to reduce preventable stillbirths and neonatal deaths.

Helen Maguire shared the story of her constituent Rachel, who suffered two devastating miscarriages and experienced insensitivity from medical staff. She stressed the importance of guarantees for bereavement and perinatal mental health specialists in every maternity service.

Jim Shannon asked if there should be access to a person of faith, such as a chaplain, who could provide support to families grieving the loss of a child.

Peter Prinsley highlighted the crucial role of charitable organisations like Sands in providing support to families who have lost babies and emphasised the importance of peer group support.

Tessa Munt mentioned the NHS maternity survey, which found that 18% of parents reported their concerns were not taken seriously during labour and birth. She asked about ways to ensure that the concerns of parents are listened to and acted upon.

Anna Dixon emphasised the need for staff to feel confident to speak out if they see things going wrong and the importance of a safe culture within the NHS and maternity units.

Monica Harding discussed the need for support for mothers with bipolar disorder who experience triggers during the birth process.

Saqib Bhatti acknowledged the important work of charities such as the Lily Mae Foundation in filling gaps in therapeutic care and suggested considering more support for these organisations.

Jeremy Hunt highlighted the ongoing issue of neonatal mortality and maternal deaths despite progress. He noted 748 maternity safety recommendations, but criticised the lack of implementation. He stressed the need for continuity of care and criticised the emphasis on natural birth, which he argued can lead to delayed interventions and increased risk. He proposed solutions such as overhauling midwifery education, reaching a shared agreement on intervention criteria, and ensuring humanised care.

Jim Shannon suggested that providing specialised care after a woman's first miscarriage could help prevent around 10,000 baby losses annually.

Alicia Kearns shared her experience of high-risk pregnancy care and highlighted the issue of insufficient attention to high-risk cases, despite reassurances of adequate support.

Peter Prinsley inquired about the relationship between the midwifery and obstetrics professions, suggesting that bringing these professions closer together could be a solution to the issues highlighted.

Welsh acknowledged the impact of baby loss and the courage of families who share their stories. She emphasised the importance of private spaces, timely assessments, and sensitive explanations for those experiencing early pregnancy loss. She also highlighted the need for a properly funded, ring-fenced perinatal workforce plan, and the importance of confronting inequalities in maternal outcomes for Black, Asian and ethnic minority mothers.

Anna Dixon thanked Michelle Welsh for her work on the issue over many years and emphasised the need for changes in the NHS Resolution, the clinical negligence scheme, to stop making it a fight for parents to get answers to their questions.

Ghani noted the importance of limiting speeches to ensure all Members can contribute within the three-hour debate limit.

Alison Bennett spoke about the work of Jane Plumb and Group B Strep Support, advocating for GBS-specific tests for expectant mothers to protect more babies from life-threatening infections. She also discussed the Truth for Our Babies campaign and the challenges faced by families in accessing reviews and support. She raised concerns about the lack of funding for families to cover travel expenses and remuneration for their time and expertise during review meetings.

Deirdre Costigan highlighted the disproportionate risks faced by black, Asian, and economically deprived families in maternity and neonatal care. She shared the story of a family in her constituency where a 13-year-old daughter had to translate for her parents during a critical medical decision, and emphasised the need for better support for siblings and families for whom English is a second or third language.

Kearns shared personal experiences about being pressured towards vaginal birth despite previous emergency C-sections, the importance of teaching CPR to new parents, and the lack of awareness and guidance on blood clots, the leading cause of maternal death. She also discussed the forced adoption scandal and the need for opening up records to allow mothers to locate their children. Additionally, she praised the Tommy’s app's effectiveness in reducing stillbirths and premature births.

Charters supported Kearns's points about informed choice in birthing options, highlighting his family's experience with a traumatic first birth and the lack of clinical risk information provided to women.

Vince thanked Kearns for her speech and echoed her sentiments on the forced adoption scandal, emphasising the poor treatment of mothers seeking information about their children and supporting the need for better access to records and information.

I have never spoken in a Baby Loss Awareness Week debate before, but that does not mean that I do not care. I watched last year’s debate on the television, and I see that many of the faces that were there last year are here this year. For the benefit of those watching, if an MP is not here and you have asked them to be here, let me say that it can often be quite difficult to talk about issues on which you feel that you have skin in the game, and that is certainly the case for me. When my local hospital, the Royal Lancaster infirmary, invited me to the opening of the new bereavement suite in the maternity unit earlier this year, I found a reason not to go. That was not because I was not glad that the room was there, but because I never wanted to see the inside of it. Unfortunately, in June this year, I did get to see the inside of it—not as an MP cutting the ribbon, but as a grieving parent. The thing about miscarriage is that when you leave hospital, you do not have anything, apart from maybe some leaflets from the Miscarriage Association. Today I want to talk about baby loss certificates, because they are one thing that we can have and hold when we have nothing else of our babies. The eligibility criteria for the certificates in England are far stricter than those in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In England, people are required to have experienced the loss in England, and to be living in England when they apply, whereas in Scotland and Northern Ireland, people can apply if they live there or lived there at the time of the loss. That variation creates an inconsistency in what is available to parents across the UK. There is another issue with cross-border access to certificates. Since the English scheme was launched, I have been made aware by Sands that families with bereaved parents who live in Wales, but who experienced their loss in an English hospital, have found that they were not eligible for the certificates. The charity’s concern is that once the Welsh certificate scheme finally launches, if the verification criteria are the same as the English criteria, it would require the parents to both live in Wales and have experienced the loss in Wales, so some parents would fall between the cracks, and would never be eligible for a baby loss certificate under either scheme. There is also an inconsistency when parents do not live in the same part of the UK. That issue was raised in the Scottish Parliament’s debate on baby loss last week by my partner, David Linden MSP. The issue stems from the verification process, which uses NHS numbers and postcodes to confirm eligibility. However, that results in a problem whereby my baby loss certificates just have my name on them, as the mother; there is a blank where the father’s name should be—not because he does not want to be on the certificate, but because the system says no, as his postcode is “wrong”. We cannot have both parents’ names on a baby loss certificate when they live in different parts of the United Kingdom. While it is not typical for a family to live across different nations in the United Kingdom, I hope that the Secretary of State will perhaps even reach out to Ministers in all the nations of the United Kingdom to ensure that where that is the case, families are eligible for baby loss certificates.

It is at incredible moments like this that people across this House come together to share their testimony. I really want to thank the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Andy MacNae) for opening today’s debate, and the hon. Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Cat Smith) —you absolutely broke my heart, but the strength you have shared is incredible. I know that so many people watching this debate will be absolutely moved and feel the power and strength of your testimony. Obviously, I am from Northern Ireland. We introduced baby loss certificates—it is a devolved matter for us—but I know that so many of my constituents will feel really seen by what the hon. Member has said. I encourage the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care for England to do what we have done in Northern Ireland, because it has made such a difference. I want to talk briefly about a number of charities in my constituency of Lagan Valley, including Zach’s Wish and the Little Forget Me Nots Trust. Northern Ireland is one of those parts of the world where we do some things really well, and other things not very well. The hon. Member for Rutland and Stamford (Alicia Kearns) talked about the issue of forced adoption and mother and baby homes. Across the island of Ireland, we have a long and shameful heritage of a number of mass graves. That has really impacted women and families throughout the centuries, because they have never been able to get closure. The Northern Ireland Assembly is doing a big public health piece of work at the minute, trying to trace some of those babies to their mother, or maybe their brother, their sister or another family member. I pay tribute to my colleague in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Nuala McAllister—MLA for North Belfast—who has been incredible in trying to bring churches to deal with their shame for not allowing families to have a burial, or even just an acknowledgment of their loved one. Another huge issue that I feel is yet to be named in this debate is that of maternal mental health. Whenever you experience baby loss, no one can name that for you and tell you how to feel or what to do, but I do know that for women who have experienced that incredible, crushing hollow in the centre of their stomach, sometimes the one thing they need is somebody to be there. Other Members have touched on the fact that there needs to be continuity of care throughout a pregnancy, which includes whenever that journey comes to an end and the person does not have a baby in their arms. I want to pay tribute to one of my constituents, Lynette Glen from Lagan Valley, and the maternal advocacy and support project at the Atlas Women’s Centre. I do not want to betray any confidences, but I know that one of the women involved in another project with Women’s Aid lost her daughter after she gave birth, and in Northern Ireland, shamefully, we still do not have a proper programme for women who are experiencing post-natal depression and anxiety, or issues during the pregnancy. That is deeply troubling—I cannot even begin to imagine how much it compounds the loss of a child when you were already potentially in deep distress. Another issue that we have come across in Northern Ireland and other parts of the United Kingdom is the lack of paediatric pathology services. We now have a situation where babies are being taken from Northern Ireland to other parts of the UK. Earlier this year, I met representatives of some of the pathology departments at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. That team is second to none, but that does not mean that it is not going to hurt mums, dads and other people who have lost their baby when their baby is taken away from them. That is really difficult, but we have a staff shortage across the pathologist workforce, which is incredibly difficult. As we think our way through this issue, we need to give thought to how we are going to help families who are undergoing that loss. Earlier this year, we experienced the passage of the Hillsborough law, and so many people have already made reference to the Ockenden report, which is important in terms of the culture, sometimes, of secrecy and cover-up and is key whenever we are discussing baby loss. I am so heartened by the number of MPs who are already doing incredible work in this space, but we need to do so much more. Northern Ireland currently has the highest infant mortality rate in the UK, and I am sure that many people will find that as troubling as I do. I pay tribute to a charity called Mummy’s Star, founded by a lovely man called Pete, who lost his wife when she had cancer and she was pregnant. There are so many women who go through cancer when pregnant, and sometimes they are left with no other option than to terminate a much-loved and much-wanted pregnancy. We need to do so much more to support those women. Incredible clinicians are already doing work in this space to support those women and their babies, but there is so much more to be done. Lastly, if you will spare me an indulgence, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will talk about IVF. Whenever you go through IVF, sometimes you are left with nothing in your arms. For many women in Northern Ireland, they only have one funded cycle of IVF at the minute. For those women who do not have many eggs during the egg collection, you only have one shot at a fresh egg transfer. If that is not successful, you walk away with nothing. You are one shot and done. I call on Members across this House to help our campaign to ensure that Northern Ireland gets three fully funded cycles of IVF or ICSI—intracytoplasmic sperm injection—because those women experience that loss and potentially never gain that baby in their arms. I ask Members to be mindful and to help me in that cause for women in Northern Ireland. Lastly, I thank everyone who is sharing their experiences tonight—you are incredible.

Mr Charters discussed the personal and communal impact of baby loss, stressing the need for better support and accountability in maternity services. He paid tribute to families and charities involved in supporting bereaved parents, and emphasised the importance of ensuring that families' experiences improve both in the immediate aftermath of loss and in the long term. He called for urgent action to address the issues highlighted in the debate.

Mr Roome addressed the debate by highlighting the serious staffing crisis at North Devon District Hospital, which has led to the suspension of all births for over eight weeks. He emphasised the stress and anxiety this situation has caused for expectant mothers and their families, and the broader implications for the community. He also discussed the need for better bereavement care and support for families experiencing miscarriages, and called for an independent review of the situation in North Devon to ensure accountability and prevent future occurrences.

Laura Kyrke-Smith commended colleagues for their contributions and focused on three main points: awareness, the significant uplift and support needed for bereaved parents, and mental health support. She detailed her personal experience of miscarriages and emphasised the importance of awareness, better support systems, and national standards for mental health services.

Saqib Bhatti paid tribute to the bravery of speakers and highlighted the importance of support for non-birthing partners. He shared a personal story about the birth of his baby, emphasising the crucial role of midwives and the need for training that enables parents to challenge and question the care provided. He also stressed the importance of data collection and the need to address the postcode lottery affecting smaller charities.

Jim Shannon highlighted the need for support for women who experience baby loss, both before and after term. He also discussed the importance of recognising the impact of baby loss on the wider family and the potential benefits of early intervention after the first miscarriage.

Josh Newbury shared the story of his constituents, Phil and Emma, who experienced repeated pregnancy loss and difficult childbirth experiences. He highlighted the emotional and physical impact of pregnancy loss and the need for timely and compassionate care, urging for high-quality miscarriage care and bereavement support for every woman and family, regardless of their postcode.

Jayne Kirkham spoke about the case of Bran Tunnicliffe, a baby who suffered a severe head injury during birth and died shortly after. She highlighted the struggle her constituent's family faced in receiving mental health support and the difficulty in ensuring recommendations from reports and investigations are acted upon. She also mentioned the long wait for a pathologist's report and the delay in holding an inquest. She emphasised the need for improved training for coroners' courts in dealing with parents who have experienced such loss and the role of charities in supporting bereaved families.

Matt Turmaine paid tribute to the emotional, moving and powerful contributions made in the debate. He emphasised the importance of continuity of care and the well-functioning NHS team in ensuring decent outcomes. He highlighted the particular tragedy of baby loss, noting the life cut short and the potential that has disappeared. He supported the Government's intention to support women and families let down by maternity services and welcomed the baby loss certificate scheme and investment in specialist bereavement midwives and bereavement services. He also acknowledged the work of local organisations in supporting those grieving a miscarriage or the loss of a baby.

Declares interests in maternity and baby loss APPGs. Acknowledges contributions from other MPs on the topic of baby loss awareness week. Expresses concern over reports of maternal and neonatal deaths, with 65% of maternity units not rated as adequately safe by the CQC. Highlights racial disparities in maternal deaths and stillbirth rates, with black women nearly three times as likely to die during or after pregnancy compared to white women. Mentions the missed target of the 2015 national maternity safety ambition and the £1.3 billion spent annually on medical negligence payments. Welcomes Government’s commitment to the statutory role of a maternity commissioner but calls for reinstatement of the ringfenced service development funding. Proposes safe staffing on every ward, including a consultant obstetrician present 24/7 and one-to-one midwifery care. Emphasises the need for mandatory, regularly updated training for staff and a culture of openness to learn from mistakes. Advocates for better support throughout pregnancy and investment in public health measures to tackle disparities. Urges the Government to recognise and support every family affected by pregnancy loss, not just those who have had multiple miscarriages.

Caroline Johnson, a consultant NHS paediatrician, acknowledges the importance of the debate and congratulates the hon. Members for securing it. She reflects on the progress made in reducing stillbirths, neonatal deaths, and maternal deaths under the previous Conservative government. She calls for the new Health Secretary to act swiftly on the recommendations from the national maternity investigation, such as appointing a maternity and neonatal commissioner and developing a modern service framework. Johnson also questions the delay in the Government's implementation of their manifesto promises, including the promise to train thousands of additional midwives and double the number of medical school places. She emphasises the need for a workforce plan to be published and for the Government to ensure that maternity and neonatal care are prioritised.

Cooper thanked all Members for their contributions and personal stories, emphasising the importance of coming together to support families who have lost babies or children. She highlighted the courage of those who shared their experiences and expressed the need for action to prevent such losses in the future. Cooper also apologised on behalf of the Government to parents who lost babies in NHS hospitals and were denied information about their remains, acknowledging the pain caused by past practices. She committed to making maternity and neonatal care a priority, emphasising the need for a new national action plan and proper standards. Cooper stressed the importance of listening to parents, particularly mothers, and the need for legislation to appoint an independent commissioner. She also emphasised the necessity of addressing inequalities in maternal mortality and the importance of quality bereavement care, including the employment law reforms and mental health support for families.

Roome discussed the challenges faced by mothers and families in his constituency, particularly regarding the availability of local services. He highlighted the need for increased recruitment in rural areas to ensure that families do not have to travel long distances for maternity care.

Bennett raised the issue of Group B strep and its impact on newborns. She highlighted the importance of testing and the ongoing trial to address this issue.

Kearns emphasised the need for changes in maternity care, citing the mistreatment of women during the pandemic as an example of the 'maternity sidecar' phenomenon. She urged the Secretary of State to use this evidence to drive improvements in maternity care.

I thank everyone who has spoken and shared their experience, which is not easy. In that regard, I would just reflect on the comment made by my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Cat Smith). There are Members who could not be here today because their losses are too recent and too painful. As many others have reflected, baby loss affects far more of us than we actually realise. I thank all Members present, and I thank the Secretary of State for being here throughout—it means a lot; it really does matter. Her commitment and passion for getting this right shine through. There has been clear consensus across the House about what needs to be done. We should all be very clear that in a year’s time—and we will be back here in a year’s time—we need to be talking about what has been done and real, tangible, concrete actions. To deliver that, we need the resource, the institutional capacity and the leadership to drive through that change with urgency and practicality. So next year, let us be celebrating what we have done, not talking about what needs to be done.