Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress has been made in implementing workforce recommendations from the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce; and what measures are being taken to help tackle (a) midwife burnout and (b) midwifes working too many hours at maternity services serving Maidenhead constituents.

The health and wellbeing of our National Health Service staff, including midwives, is a top priority.

The independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, chaired by Baroness Amos, is expected to publish findings in the Spring. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will chair the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce to address the recommendations and develop a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will work with the Social Partnership Forum to introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment.

It is for local NHS trusts to determine what working patterns may be required to meet local service needs in the interest of patients, considering the provisions set out in the Working Time Regulations 1998.