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The health secretary has been unable to guarantee that there will be no further scandals in maternity care after admitting the NHS is in a “period of transition”.

Victoria Atkins was speaking following the publication of a report by MPs which there was “shockingly poor quality” in maternity services, resulting in care that lacked compassion and a system where “poor care is all too frequently tolerated as normal”.

Speaking to Sky News following the report’s publication, Ms Atkins thanked the women who had been involved in the inquiry and said their stories were “really important”.

“I say that not just as secretary of state for health, I say this as a mum.”

The health secretary, who was appointed to her role last November, said her own experience of having her baby on the NHS included “moments of joy” but also “some moments that are very dark and frightening”.

She said she completely understood why women and their families were “worried about the report and the findings in it”.

However, asked whether should could guarantee that there would be no further scandals in maternity care, Ms Atkins replied: “I’m being completely frank here, we are in a period of transition … we are already beginning to see changes but of course I accept there is much more work to do.”

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Analysis: Why weren’t alarm bells going off?

Victoria Atkins was not health secretary when Theo Clark MP first spoke of her birth trauma in parliament.

But she is keen to stress she is listening to the voices of women who have shared their stories with the national inquiry.

“I say that not just as Secretary of State for Health, I say this as a mum.”

In her own words, her childbirth experience included, “some moments that are very dark and frightening”.

She’s read the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into birth trauma, and insists things are changing.

“I don’t pretend we’re there yet, but we are genuinely turning a corner,” she told me.

Every year eye-watering sums are spent on maternity clinical negligence, including £1.1bn last year alone.

So why weren’t alarm bells going off? Victoria Atkins says they were, and points to recent reviews of maternity scandals which lead to the three-year plan for maternity.

But when I asked whether she can guarantee we won’t see another maternity scandal, the Health Secretary admitted, “I’m being completely frank here, we are in a period of transition … we are already beginning to see changes but of course I accept there is much more work to do.”

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This morning health minister Maria Caulfield apologised to mothers who had been affected, saying: “I recognise that maternity services have not been where we want them to be, but there is lots of work happening in this space.

“This has been a problem for a long time, and it is why maternity is a priority area in the women’s health strategy.”

But pressed on whether she would apologise to the women who have suffered, Ms Atkins said the problems highlighted in the report were “longstanding”.

“What I want to do is now focus on not just the longer term future, but today, because I want mums to be…I want them to have confidence that we are seeing improvement in these services,” she added.

“I don’t pretend we’re there yet, but we are genuinely turning a corner.”

Led by Conservative MP Theo Clarke and Labour MP Rosie Duffield, the Birth Trauma Inquiry considered evidence given by more than 1,300 women and has called for a national plan to improve maternity care.

It found that poor quality 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,” the report said.

The inquiry made 12 recommendations, including that the government implement a maternity commissioner who would report directly to the prime minister.

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.

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Speaking to Sky News today, Ms Duffield, co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on birth trauma, said the UK “absolutely” needed to overhaul maternity care following the inquiry.

“We really need somebody overseeing the fact that at the moment it is a postcode lottery,” she said.

“We need someone to make sure – almost like an Ofsted inspector but perhaps less scary – to just oversee the fact that we’re joined up in our approach to maternity services and care.

“There’s that, and then we absolutely have to end the problem of the maternal health of black women and south Asian women, who are five times more likely to die in childbirth.”

Ms Atkins said she was “determined to focus relentlessly on improving the care for women across England” and that she had “prioritised” women’s health, maternity services and birth trauma since taking up her Cabinet post.

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Asked why “alarm bells” had not been ringing during the Conservatives’ 14 years in power, Ms Atkins said there had been awareness of issues, citing reviews into maternity care at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Morecambe Bay NHS Trust.

“We are in an interesting position because, for the first time in the NHS’s history, you have not just a secretary of state for health who is a mum, but also the chief executive of NHS England is a mum as well – Amanda Pritchard,” she said.

“We are working together to try to address some of these issues that we know have arisen in recent years.”

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‘Nurse’ stabbed at hospital A&E department – man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder

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'Nurse' stabbed at hospital A&E department - man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder

A woman has suffered life-changing injuries after being stabbed by a member of the public at the accident and emergency department where she was working.

The victim – believed to be a nurse in her 50s – was attacked at Royal Oldham Hospital in Greater Manchester, where she is now being treated.

It is understood she was injured with a bladed article or a sharp instrument – and not by a knife.

Officers were called at 11.30pm on Saturday.

A 37-year-old man is in custody after being “swiftly arrested at the scene” on suspicion of attempted murder, Greater Manchester Police said.

Detectives are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and say there is no threat to the wider public.

Jim McMahon, the Labour MP for the area, described it as a “senseless attack”.

He posted on Facebook: “We are all shocked at the senseless attack on a nurse in the A&E department of the Royal Oldham Hospital.

“Our thoughts are with the nurse, family and friends as we wish a full recovery.”

Detective Sergeant Craig Roters said it was a “serious incident which has left a woman in a critical condition”.

The victim’s family and colleagues will be supported, he added.

The local community can expect to see an “increase in police presence” while enquiries are carried out, Mr Roters said.

“We know that news of this nature will come as a shock, and if you have any concerns or anything you would like to share, please speak to [officers].”

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Kemi Badenoch calls on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq over property allegations

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Kemi Badenoch calls on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq over property allegations

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.

Kemi Badenoch
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Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister

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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.”

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Search area widened for missing sisters in Aberdeen

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Search area widened for missing sisters in Aberdeen

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 who were last seen on CCTV in Market Street.
Pic: Police Scotland/PA
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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.

SN screengrab aberdeen city showing Victoria Bridge (looking north towards market street) re: missing sisters Eliza and Henrietta Huszti
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The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee

SN screengrab aberdeen city showing boat club. A potential location of missing sisters Eliza and Henrietta Huszti
Ingest_23_NM23_RGR_15_SAF_MISSING_SISTERS_ABERDEEN_GVS_ABERDEEN
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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.

datawrapper map of aberdeen city showing location of police searches for missing sisters Eliza and Henrietta Huszti

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 who along with her sister, Eliza, were last seen on CCTV in Market Street.
Pic: Police Scotland/PA
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Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland

Eliza Huszti.
Pic: Police Scotland/PA
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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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