The UK's maternity services have been under intense scrutiny following a damning report that exposed failures in care, neglecting the voices and needs of women and families. A significant overhaul is now underway, with plans to appoint the nation's first Maternity and Neonatal Commissioner – a move welcomed by experts as a crucial step towards rebuilding trust.
The newly created Commissioner role will provide independent leadership, tasked with driving essential changes, holding the system to account, and addressing issues of inadequate accountability, racism, and discrimination. This individual will co-chair the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce alongside the Secretary of State, ensuring that women's experiences remain central to systemic improvements. Baroness Amos's report highlighted widespread concerns, based on the testimonies of thousands of families, staff, and local investigations into 12 trusts.
The government is investing an additional £41 million in critical infrastructure improvements for maternity and neonatal facilities, including fire safety, ventilation, and updating outdated buildings – a move designed to create safer environments. This brings total investment since April 2025 to £186 million, targeting urgent safety risks and supporting essential care during a vulnerable period.
A comprehensive National Action Plan will be published in December 2026, outlining priority actions and long-term reforms aimed at delivering equitable care. The taskforce, comprising families, clinicians, and experts, will drive this plan, focusing on safety, equity, and accountability. New national standards for maternity triage are also set to be introduced, eliminating the 'postcode lottery' in how women are assessed and treated upon arrival at maternity units.
Addressing deep-seated inequalities is a critical component of these reforms. The national rollout of the Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme will target unacceptable disparities in care and outcomes for Black and Asian women, those from deprived backgrounds, and other marginalised groups. £10 million in funding will also support 1,000 temporary roles to help newly qualified midwives join the NHS, tackling workforce shortages and preventing talented graduates from leaving the profession.