Asked by: Lord Bird (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address inequalities in maternal health outcomes, particularly among women from deprived or marginalised backgrounds.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that there are stark inequalities for women and babies, and that they should receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity.
Baroness Amos is chairing the National Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation which aims to identify the drivers and impact of inequalities faced by women, babies, and families from Black and Asian backgrounds, as well as deprived and marginalised groups.
The Government is committed to setting an explicit target to close the maternal mortality gap. We are ensuring that we take an evidence-based approach to determining what targets are set, and that any targets set are women and baby-centred.
NHS England’s Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme aims to ensure that all service users and their families receive care that is free from discrimination and racism. Local Maternity and Neonatal Systems have published Equity and Equality action plans containing evidence-based interventions to support women and families from ethnic minority backgrounds or economically deprived areas. NHS England also launched the Maternal Care Bundle that sets clear standards across all services, focused on the main causes of maternal death and harm. The Maternal Care Bundle is avaiable on the NHS.UK website. Women from Black and Asian backgrounds are more at risk of specific clinical conditions that are the leading causes of death. This bundle targets these conditions, and we expect a decline in deaths and harm.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the final membership of the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce; and what is the date of the first meeting of that taskforce; whether that taskforce will publish further findings after spring 2026.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The membership of the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce is currently being finalised. The first meeting of the taskforce will be held in early spring.
The taskforce will publish a national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care in due course, following publication of Baroness Amos’ independent investigation’s final report and recommendations.
Asked by: Luke Charters (Labour - York Outer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support available to low‑income families whose children require prolonged inpatient neonatal and paediatric care.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to tackling child poverty and to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. Our Children, Our Future: Tackling Child Poverty was published on 5 December 2025 and set out a goal to reduce and alleviate the impact of child poverty, with urgent action to improve the lives of children in deepest poverty.
We recognise the significant financial and practical pressures faced by low-income families when a child with a long-term condition requires hospital care. To support eligible low-income families with the costs associated with repeated or prolonged hospital stays, the NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme provides support with the cost of travelling to hospital appointments.
In addition, many hospitals work with charitable partners, such as Ronald McDonald House Charities, to provide free or low-cost accommodation close to specialist children’s hospitals, helping parents stay near their child during treatment.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government actions requested by the Royal College of Midwives as part of the "Safe Staffing = Safe Care" campaign.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department, NHS England, and the Nursing Midwifery Council are urgently working to ensure that midwifery training consistently delivers modern maternity care that respects a woman’s choice and individual circumstances.
We will introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026 to deliver our ambition to make the National Health Service the best place to work. We are committed to tackling the retention and recruitment challenges that face the NHS. As of November 2025, there were 25,530 full time equivalent midwives working in NHS trusts and other core organisations in England. This is an increase of 824, or 3.3%, compared to November 2024. We are also investing over £149 million through the 2025/26 Estates Safety Fund to address critical safety risks on the maternity estate, enabling better care for mothers and their newborns.
In addition, Baroness Amos is leading an independent investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal care. This includes understanding the experience of staff and healthcare professionals delivering care at all stages of the maternity and neonatal care pathway and how they can best be supported in providing high-quality, safe, and compassionate care. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will chair a maternity and neonatal taskforce that will address the recommendations of the investigation by developing a national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps the national maternity and neonatal investigation team is taking to ensure full representation of staff views in its work, including through a call for evidence at NHS trust level.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following a meeting with West Mercia Police about the detail and schedule of their ongoing investigation, Baroness Amos concluded that the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust should be removed from the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was removed from the list of trusts under review as part of the national investigation following my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s decision to commission a separate independent maternity inquiry on 20 October.
The Call for Evidence for the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation was launched in January 2026, and the investigation has encouraged families in Shrewsbury and Telford, and Leeds to participate.
On 26 January 2026, the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation launched a Workforce Call for Evidence. This is open specifically to all those who work in the maternity and neonatal care pathway and is a separate to the public call for evidence. It takes the form of a short online survey and focuses on the experiences of staff delivering care across the maternity and neonatal pathway and how best to support teams to provide high-quality, safe, and compassionate care. Findings will inform the investigation’s national recommendations, due for publication in spring 2026.
Information about how to access the workforce survey has been distributed to all NHS trusts and the investigation is asking them to cascade the link to all maternity and neonatal staff groups. It is currently live and will be open for six weeks, closing on 9 March 2026.
Baroness Amos is also meeting the senior team in each of the 12 trusts and staff panels are also being held on site.
A list of leaders for national organisations, including statutory, Arm’s Length Bodies, and the voluntary and charitable sector, is being developed by the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. Leaders of these organisations will be invited to a formal interview with the Chair, Director of investigation, and a member of the Expert Panel.
The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation is also gathering evidence from organisations. Organisations and other individuals, for instance researchers, wishing to submit evidence to the investigation can submit this directly by email to the investigation mailbox. The deadline for all evidence submissions is 17 March 2026.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government who was responsible for the decision to remove (1) Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, and (2) Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, from the scope of the national maternity and neonatal investigation.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following a meeting with West Mercia Police about the detail and schedule of their ongoing investigation, Baroness Amos concluded that the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust should be removed from the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was removed from the list of trusts under review as part of the national investigation following my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s decision to commission a separate independent maternity inquiry on 20 October.
The Call for Evidence for the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation was launched in January 2026, and the investigation has encouraged families in Shrewsbury and Telford, and Leeds to participate.
On 26 January 2026, the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation launched a Workforce Call for Evidence. This is open specifically to all those who work in the maternity and neonatal care pathway and is a separate to the public call for evidence. It takes the form of a short online survey and focuses on the experiences of staff delivering care across the maternity and neonatal pathway and how best to support teams to provide high-quality, safe, and compassionate care. Findings will inform the investigation’s national recommendations, due for publication in spring 2026.
Information about how to access the workforce survey has been distributed to all NHS trusts and the investigation is asking them to cascade the link to all maternity and neonatal staff groups. It is currently live and will be open for six weeks, closing on 9 March 2026.
Baroness Amos is also meeting the senior team in each of the 12 trusts and staff panels are also being held on site.
A list of leaders for national organisations, including statutory, Arm’s Length Bodies, and the voluntary and charitable sector, is being developed by the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. Leaders of these organisations will be invited to a formal interview with the Chair, Director of investigation, and a member of the Expert Panel.
The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation is also gathering evidence from organisations. Organisations and other individuals, for instance researchers, wishing to submit evidence to the investigation can submit this directly by email to the investigation mailbox. The deadline for all evidence submissions is 17 March 2026.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how often the national maternity and neonatal investigation team is engaging with professional bodies and organisations representing maternity and neonatal staff.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following a meeting with West Mercia Police about the detail and schedule of their ongoing investigation, Baroness Amos concluded that the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust should be removed from the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was removed from the list of trusts under review as part of the national investigation following my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s decision to commission a separate independent maternity inquiry on 20 October.
The Call for Evidence for the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation was launched in January 2026, and the investigation has encouraged families in Shrewsbury and Telford, and Leeds to participate.
On 26 January 2026, the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation launched a Workforce Call for Evidence. This is open specifically to all those who work in the maternity and neonatal care pathway and is a separate to the public call for evidence. It takes the form of a short online survey and focuses on the experiences of staff delivering care across the maternity and neonatal pathway and how best to support teams to provide high-quality, safe, and compassionate care. Findings will inform the investigation’s national recommendations, due for publication in spring 2026.
Information about how to access the workforce survey has been distributed to all NHS trusts and the investigation is asking them to cascade the link to all maternity and neonatal staff groups. It is currently live and will be open for six weeks, closing on 9 March 2026.
Baroness Amos is also meeting the senior team in each of the 12 trusts and staff panels are also being held on site.
A list of leaders for national organisations, including statutory, Arm’s Length Bodies, and the voluntary and charitable sector, is being developed by the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. Leaders of these organisations will be invited to a formal interview with the Chair, Director of investigation, and a member of the Expert Panel.
The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation is also gathering evidence from organisations. Organisations and other individuals, for instance researchers, wishing to submit evidence to the investigation can submit this directly by email to the investigation mailbox. The deadline for all evidence submissions is 17 March 2026.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government which national body has formal responsibility for monitoring outcomes for placenta accreta spectrum, including missed antenatal diagnoses and maternal morbidity.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are currently no plans to introduce mandatory national reporting of placenta accreta spectrum cases and outcomes. Neither Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK) nor the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit record placenta accreta routinely in regular surveillance. However, MBRRACE-UK captures this data as part of their confidential enquiries relating to haemorrhage.
In 2020, NHS England commissioned placenta accreta networks in the United Kingdom which support local and regional screening, shared protocols, and co-ordinated referral pathways to specialist pregnancy accreta centres. Placenta accreta centres consist of highly experienced multidisciplinary teams with the expertise to manage this condition and improve the safety outcomes for women and babies.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce mandatory national reporting of placenta accreta spectrum cases and outcomes; and if so, over what timetable.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are currently no plans to introduce mandatory national reporting of placenta accreta spectrum cases and outcomes. Neither Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK) nor the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit record placenta accreta routinely in regular surveillance. However, MBRRACE-UK captures this data as part of their confidential enquiries relating to haemorrhage.
In 2020, NHS England commissioned placenta accreta networks in the United Kingdom which support local and regional screening, shared protocols, and co-ordinated referral pathways to specialist pregnancy accreta centres. Placenta accreta centres consist of highly experienced multidisciplinary teams with the expertise to manage this condition and improve the safety outcomes for women and babies.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to discuss the publication of data on maternal deaths and severe maternal morbidity specifically attributable to placenta accreta spectrum with Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In 2020, NHS England commissioned placenta accreta networks in the United Kingdom which support local and regional screening, shared protocols, and co-ordinated referral pathways to specialist pregnancy accreta centres. These centres consist of highly experienced multidisciplinary teams with the expertise to manage this condition and improve the safety outcomes for women and babies.
At present, placenta accreta spectrum is not included as an indicator in NHS England maternity safety improvement programmes and dashboards. There are no plans to add this as an indicator in the future.
There are no plans to introduce mandatory national reporting of placenta accreta spectrum cases and outcomes. Neither Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK) nor the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit record placenta accreta spectrum routinely in regular surveillance. However, MBRRACE-UK captures this data as part of the haemorrhage confidential enquiries. There are currently no plans to discuss the publication of this data.