Maternity Improvement Strategy 2025-05-06
2025-05-06
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Last year’s birth trauma inquiry report exposed that maternity services in the UK are underfunded. The Health Secretary plans to cut funding for maternity improvement from £95 million to £2 million.
What kind of change is it cutting maternity improvement budget from £95 million to £2 million, equating to less than £4 per child born each year? What message does this send to mothers across the country? Does the Secretary of State plan to implement any recommendations from the birth trauma inquiry report?
Maternity funding is not ringfenced at the same level as previously thought. Local leaders will decide how best to allocate money from ICB allocations, and we are committed to working with Donna Ockenden and families affected by incidents to ensure recommendations of her report and the maternity review are fully implemented.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about funding cuts was not directly addressed; only a vague statement about local leaders deciding on allocations.
Working With Families
Commitment To Recommendations
Response accuracy
Q2
Direct Answer
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Context
There is a consistent failure in maternity units to listen to women and put their experiences at the heart of driving improvements.
What assurances can be given that women’s voices will be at the heart of any maternity improvement strategy, considering the importance of listening to them?
My hon. Friend is right; it is unacceptable and we are ensuring that women’s voices are taken forward as part of our 10-year plan after hearing their experiences during meetings with families affected by previous incidents.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The previous Government committed to the headline recommendation of a cross-party birth trauma inquiry, but no equivalent commitment has been made by this government.
Will the Minister commit without any equivocation to implementing the recommendation for a national maternity improvement strategy?
To be clear, the Secretary of State is continuing to look at all those recommendations and considering how best to respond.
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Assessment & feedback
Commitment without equivocation was not given; instead, a vague statement about looking into it was provided.
Looking At Recommendations
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The Care Quality Commission rates 65% of trusts as inadequate or requiring improvement for maternity safety. £1.15 billion was paid out in compensation last year for maternity failings.
Can the Minister reassure us that safe staffing levels will remain on maternity wards, considering the removal of the ringfence around the £100 million set aside to deal with unsafe staffing?
We are committed to ensuring that the recommendations from reviews related to safety and staffing issues will be implemented, but it is noted that the Liberal Democrat party has opposed extra funding that supports the wider health service.
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Assessment & feedback
Maintaining safe staffing levels was not directly addressed; instead, a vague commitment to implementing recommendations was provided with political commentary.
Commitment To Reviews
Political Commentary
Response accuracy