← Back to Westminster Hall Debates
Maternity Services
25 February 2025
Lead MP
Jess Brown-Fuller
Chichester
LD
Responding Minister
Karin Smyth
Tags
NHSEmployment
Word Count: 14724
Other Contributors: 21
At a Glance
Jess Brown-Fuller raised concerns about maternity services in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The government should explore alternative routes to support midwifery and nursing students through new funding options or a scheme where student debt is forgiven after a defined period of service in the NHS. The Minister should work with her colleagues in the Department for Education to address this fundamental flaw in the delivery of level 6 and level 7 apprenticeships.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
A Care Quality Commission inspection of 131 maternity units found that 65% were not safe for women to give birth in, with studies showing one fifth of all causes of stillbirth are potentially preventable. The Ockenden report highlighted flaws in maternity care across England and emphasised the need for immediate actions to reform services. Midwives often work over 100,000 hours of unpaid overtime every week due to inadequate staffing levels, leading to burnout, absenteeism, high staff turnover, and loss of experienced professionals.
Chris Bloore
Lab
Redditch
The MP thanked Jess Brown-Fuller for securing the debate, highlighting the challenges faced by Redditch maternity services which were relocated to Worcestershire Royal in 2017. The Member also raised concerns about future pressures due to population growth and urged a review of centralisation decisions.
Dave Robertson
Lab
Lichfield
Fundamentally, it is about giving kids the best start in life and giving mums the best care. Midwife-led units are important for choice, safety, and providing a calmer environment than big hospitals.
Al Pinkerton
LD
Surrey Heath
He stated that inadequate staffing at Frimley Park hospital remains a significant issue despite an outstanding CQC report. He emphasized the need for safe spaces where staff can have conversations and handovers can take place to retain nursing staff.
Beccy Cooper
Lab
Worthing West
Points out the ongoing issues with poor maternity service ratings and highlights health inequalities for minority groups. Calls for better training and retention of midwives to improve services.
Winchester
Discusses the importance of maternal mental health and the impact of gestation on lifelong health, emphasizing the need for comprehensive care before birth.
Evans
Lab
Hinckley and Bosworth
Highlighted improvements in neonatal mortality rate since 2010, reducing by a quarter for babies born after at least 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Luke Evans
Con
Hinckley and Bosworth
Emphasised the importance of balancing acknowledgment of risks with quality care, highlighted instances of good-quality care alongside tragic cases. Mentioned issues such as unresponsive triage practices and lack of space in facilities.
Epsom and Ewell
She highlights the excellence of maternity services in her constituency but points out that infrastructure is not fit for purpose, with older hospital buildings making it harder to provide high standards of care. Suggested working with the Secretary of State for Education to roll out a successful T-level qualification in health with midwifery from La Retraite sixth form, which is linked up with Guy’s and St Thomas’.
Helen Morgan
LD
North Shropshire
Acknowledges the significant issues in NHS maternity services highlighted by various reports and investigations. Expresses anger over the lack of action despite government commitments to improve safety and staffing levels.
Iqbal Mohamed
Ind
Dewsbury and Batley
The Brontë birth centre in Dewsbury and Batley reopened after two years of closure due to staff shortages. There is a need for seamless obstetrician provision for midwife-led care if required, as transferring mothers with complications from Dewsbury to Wakefield increases risks.
Jeremy Hunt
Con
Godalming and Ash
He agreed that changing the way litigation is handled could improve patient safety, as staff often fear speaking out due to potential lawsuits or job loss.
Chichester
Thanked Members for their constructive approach, mentioned that parents felt lessons were not learned from tragic events, and urged NHS trusts to contact parents directly.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Commends the debate's lead MP, sharing local perspective on Northern Ireland’s maternity care system. Highlights need for coordinated change in maternity care. Discussed collaboration with devolved Governments to ensure retention and recruitment challenges are addressed.
Calder Valley
He notes that women's health is under-prioritised in the UK, with maternity services facing a crisis. The Royal College of Midwives has expressed concerns about safe staffing levels and investment needs.
Katie White
Lab
Leeds North West
Raises concerns about the lack of progress on an independent inquiry for Leeds following Dan and Fiona's tragic loss of their baby Aliona.
Liz Jarvis
LD
Eastleigh
Charlotte gave birth to Norah who died suddenly due to inadequate care. Nearly two thirds of England’s maternity services are not safe enough according to the Care Quality Commission's figures.
Chelmsford
The MP focused on the role of CQC in keeping maternity services safe, highlighting concerns about delays in releasing inspection reports which hinder efforts to improve services at Broomfield hospital.
Cheltenham
Highlights the closure of Cheltenham General Hospital’s birth unit and the downgrade of Gloucestershire Royal Hospital’s maternity services to inadequate. Raises concerns about delays in CQC reporting.
Emphasized the importance of workforce and meeting safe levels of staffing in maternity care.
Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire
The MP expressed concern over the impact of centralised maternity services in Inverness on expectant mothers from remote areas such as Sutherland, Argyll, and Eigg.
Tom Rutland
Lab
East Worthing and Shoreham
Maternity services in East Worthing and Shoreham are inadequate, with all four units in the University Hospitals Sussex NHS foundation trust rated as requiring improvement. Families have suffered devastating experiences due to failures in care, including stillbirths and tragic deaths from misdiagnosis and poor communication. Discussed meetings with families affected by maternity care issues.
Government Response
Karin Smyth
The Minister for Secondary Care
Government Response
Acknowledged the importance of the debate on maternal and neonatal services and committed to addressing Donna Ockenden’s recommendations. Announced plans to publish a refreshed long-term workforce plan in summer, which will include midwifery training. Mentioned the need for time within the Department to ensure that any new plans are strong and effective before release. Discussed potential collaboration with Guy’s and St Thomas’ on their T-level qualification program for midwives. Announced NHS England’s three-year delivery plan aiming to make maternity and neonatal care safer, fairer, and more tailored. Highlighted initiatives such as the saving babies’ lives care bundle and perinatal culture and leadership programme. Discussed ongoing progress on recommendations from the Shrewsbury and Telford review. Mentioned investment of £10 million annually in deprived areas to reduce inequality. Addressed improvements in neonatal mortality rate, stillbirth rate reduction, and overall decrease in brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth. Emphasized support for bereaved families through baby loss certificates and seven-day bereavement care provision. Discussed workforce challenges, including midwife retention measures and mentoring schemes. Mentioned investment in retention leads for every maternity ward leading to a decline in leaver rates.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.