Good care for pregnant women “is the exception rather than the rule”, a landmark inquiry has said.
A parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma has found there was “shockingly poor quality” in maternity services, which resulted in care that lacked compassion and a system where “poor care is all too frequently tolerated as normal”.
The inquiry’s report is set to be released later this morning and was first reported by The Times.
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The report also found that women were “treated as an inconvenience” and errors were covered up by hospitals that “frustrated parents’ efforts to find answers”.
Victoria Atkins, the health secretary, said that the experiences uncovered in the report were “harrowing”.
The Times reported that the inquiry found new mothers had been left on blood-soaked sheets for hours, berated by midwives, or in one case been dismissed as an “anxious mother” when her baby then later died from complications that she was warning about.
The report calls for a new maternity commissioner who will report to the prime minister.
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Each year, around 30,000 women will suffer a negative experience before, during or after delivery.
In 2011, Sarah Embleton suffered a serious birthing tear which was missed by doctors for more than a year – leading to complications.
Image: Sarah Embleton
“I was in a lot of pain a lot of the time because obviously things that healed by themselves in a way that they shouldn’t have done, she told Sky News.
“So, urgency, not being able to hold in, needing to go to the loo, that sort of physical side was pretty horrendous.”
Parts of the UK could continue to see snowfall throughout Sunday evening and into Monday – but then things are starting to look up.
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The predicted temperatures of 14C by mid-week are well above February’s average, with 6C the usual monthly average in Scotland and 9C in southern England.
This will be a “noticeable shift” after the last fortnight, which was below average, Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said.
Don’t expect the temperatures to break records, though. February’s highest temperature was 21.2C recorded in 2019 in Kew Gardens, Mr Vautrey added.
An anticylonic gloom happens when “high pressure traps a layer of moisture near to the Earth’s surface”, Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon explains. “That brings a prolonged period of dull and cloudy weather, but with pockets of mist and fog as well.”
Weather producer Jo Robinson says anticyclones typically result in stable, fine weather, often with sunny skies in summer.
Sometimes in autumn and winter, when the sun isn’t as strong, moisture can get trapped in the anticyclone as winds are light.
This brings a layer of cloud near the surface, along with some fog and drizzle.
The cloud can often thicken overnight too as moisture condenses.
It often leads to higher levels of pollution as aerosols also become trapped.
However, some areas could go 10 days without any sunshine, which is “near record-breaking”, Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said.
If Lyneham in Wiltshire remains cloudy on Sunday, it will equal the site’s February record for consecutive days without any sunshine.
More western areas are likely to see some rain during the week, while eastern areas are forecast to stay drier.
Rain and potentially snow are expected in some places, particularly around East Anglia and Lincolnshire over the weekend, and into Scotland towards the beginning of next week.
Mr Morgan said: “We’ve basically got this battleground taking place over this weekend between cold air across Scandinavia and Central Europe, which is affecting eastern parts of the UK, but towards the west is a little bit milder.
“The Atlantic is trying to shift that cold air out of the way, pushing from west to east across the UK, but it’s a very slow process and it will take until the middle of the coming week for conditions to turn much milder nationwide.”
He explained the gloom “dominating” the UK over the last two weeks has been caused by a “large anticyclone”, or high-pressure system, which has been sitting over Scandinavia, bringing cold wind from the east.
“Those cold conditions have picked up a lot of moisture across the Baltic and North seas, and those moist conditions have led to a lot of clouds,” he added.
The landlady of a village pub where a woman was killed on Valentine’s Day has told Sky News the victim was drinking in the pub before she was shot dead in the car park.
Michelle Thomas, who runs The Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent, said she was printing off menus and preparing for the Valentine’s dinner service when she heard two loud bangs that she initially “thought were fireworks”.
“There was so much commotion – screaming, shouting, crying. People were outside, on their phones. We tried to get people inside the pub to consolidate them.
“People were only just starting to sit down, it was early on in the evening”, she said.
Image: Bouquets have been laid near the scene of the shooting
Image: Cans of Red Bull were also left among the flowers, suggesting a connection with locals
She described how an off-duty firearms officer intervened, calling him “amazing” as he helped get the situation under control following the shooting on Friday.
Around 30 people were at the pub for dinner, while 20 more were in the bar as the incident unfolded just after 7pm.
The pub near Sevenoaks reopened its doors on Sunday, but Ms Thomas said the community is in “absolute shock”.
She said the victim, whose identity has not yet been released, had been to the pub before “mostly in the summer” but “wasn’t a regular”.
Police have said the woman, in her 40s, is believed to have known her attacker.
Investigators recovered a vehicle linked to the investigation on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which crosses the River Thames in Dartford, roughly 17 miles (27km) away from the scene of the shooting.
Police call handlers had received reports of a man on the wrong side of the barrier of the bridge.
Detective Chief Inspector David Higham said they’re “not ruling out the possibility that he may have entered the water”.
“We are currently only looking for one suspect and do not believe there to be an ongoing risk to the public”, he said.
Laura Trott, Conservative MP for Sevenoaks and Swanley, said she was “devastated” about the shooting. Posting on Facebook she said: “My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends impacted.
“I know our community will be shocked at the news, but this is a live investigation and we must allow the police to do their job.”
A British couple who have been detained in Iran have been named by their family as Craig and Lindsay Foreman.
The family said they are “significantly concerned” by the “distressing situation”.
According to Ms Foreman’s social media, the couple were on a motorbiking trip across the globe to Australia as part of a positive psychology mission.
On 30 December, she posted about how they were about to face “one of the most challenging” parts of their trip, Iran and Pakistan.
Image: Lindsay Foreman. Pic: Family handout via FCDO
Image: Craig Foreman. Pic: Family handout via FCDO
The post reads: “Despite the advice of friends, family, and the FCDO (which strongly advises against travel to Iran for British nationals), we’ve chosen to keep moving forward.
“Why? Because we believe that, no matter where you are in the world, most people are good, kind humans striving for a meaningful life.
“Yes, we’re aware of the risks. But we also know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear.”
Image: A screenshot from Ms Foreman’s post in Armenia, from where they crossed into Iran. Pic: Instagram/Lindsay Foreman
Image: Ms Foreman appears in her post from Armenia. Pic: Instagram/Lindsay Foreman
In a statement, the couple’s family expressed their concern and said they were engaging with the UK government.
“We would like to take this opportunity to address the distressing situation concerning Craig and Lindsay Foreman who are currently being detained in Kerman, Iran,” they said.
“This unexpected turn of events has caused significant concern for our entire family, and we are deeply focused on ensuring their safety and wellbeing during this trying time.
“We are actively engaging with the British government and relevant authorities, working diligently to navigate the complexities of this matter. The family are united in our determination to secure their safe return.
“We truly appreciate the outpouring of support from friends, family, and the community, which has provided us with strength and encouragement as we face this ordeal.”
They added: “Thank you for your understanding, compassion, and continued support.”
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A Foreign Office spokesperson earlier said: “We are providing consular assistance to two British nationals detained in Iran and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Iranian state media said on Wednesday that a man and woman were in custody in Iran’s southeastern city of Kerman on security-related charges.
The Foreign Office warns that people are at risk of “arrest, detention and a death sentence” if they travel to Iran.
Iran has previously arrested and held British citizens for extended periods of time.