Health minister apologises as birth trauma report finds ‘shockingly poor quality’ maternity care
A health minister has apologised after a new report concluded that poor care in maternity services is “frequently tolerated as normal”.
The parliamentary inquiry 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 – led by Conservative MP Theo Clarke and Labour MP Rosie Duffield – considered evidence given by more than 1,300 women and is calling for a national plan to improve maternity care.
It has recommended that the government publish a National Maternity Improvement Strategy, led by a maternity commissioner who would report directly to the prime minister.
“We have made a set of recommendations that aim to address these problems and work towards a maternity system that is woman-centred and where poor care is the exception rather than the rule,” the report said.
“The poor quality of postnatal care was an almost-universal theme. Women shared stories of being left in
blood-stained sheets, or of ringing the bell for help but no one coming.”
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‘The joy was sucked out of having a baby’
Health minister Maria Caulfield told Sky News maternity services had not been where they should be and apologised to mothers who had been affected.
“I recognise that maternity services have not been where we want them to be, but there is lots of work happening in this space,” Ms Caulfield said.
“This has been a problem for a long time, and it is why maternity is a priority area in the women’s health strategy.”
She said the inquiry aims to get expectant mothers better care during their pregnancy, rather than wait until they are just about to give birth.
Some £1.1bn – more than a third of the NHS’ total maternity and neonatal budget – was spent on cash payments relating to clinical negligence in 2022/23, a Department of Health and Social Care report showed.
Other recommendations put forward by the report include retraining and recruiting more midwives, offering a separate six-week check post-delivery with a GP for all mothers, provide support for fathers or nominated birth partners and better educate women on birth choices.
It also recommends extending the time limit for medical negligence litigation relating to childbirth from three years
to five years.
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What is birth trauma?
Read more:
Women ‘failed at every stage’ of maternity care
Mother left with injuries after giving birth breaks ‘silence’
Grieving parents demand nationwide guidance after failings
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said she was “determined to improve the quality and consistency of care for women throughout pregnancy, birth and the critical months that follow”.
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‘A lot more work needs to be done’
After her own experience of a traumatic birth, Sandra Igwe set up the Motherhood group and has spent the past eight years campaigning. She expected when she gave birth earlier this year for the third time, the outcome would be different.
“Sadly, the third time around, again, my concerns were dismissed and I was made to wait several days to give birth after being induced, and that added to my anxiety,” she told Sky News correspondent Shamaan Freeman-Powell.
Sandra Igwe has spent the last eight years campaigning for better maternity services
“It has shown me there is a lot more work to be done.”
She is now working with Councillor Evelyn Akoto, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, to get the experiences of women from diverse backgrounds in a maternity commission.
Cllr Akoto also had her own experience of being dismissed and ignored during labour, she said the statistics black and ethnic minority women face are “horrifying”
Councillor Evelyn Akoto is working to get the experiences of women from diverse backgrounds in a maternity commission
“I see myself and other black women as walking statistics. I see our lives in danger all the time.”
She says in order for quality of care to be improved across maternity service, inequalities need to bbe addressed. “If we get it right for those who are being negatively impacted, we get it right for everyone. So it’s important we all come together and resolve this” she says.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
Read more from Sky News:
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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