The UK government has launched a "rapid" national investigation into NHS maternity services, following a series of devastating scandals that have exposed systemic failings across numerous trusts. Announced on Monday, June 23, 2025, the inquiry aims to provide truth and accountability to families who have suffered harm, while driving urgent improvements to care and safety for pregnant women and their babies.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has spent the past year meeting bereaved families across England, expressed deep sorrow for the trauma and loss these families endured during what should have been joyous moments. Speaking at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) conference in London, Streeting said, "What they have experienced is devastating – deeply painful stories of trauma, loss, and a lack of basic compassion – caused by failures in NHS maternity care that should never have happened. Their bravery in speaking out has made it clear: we must act – and we must act now." He apologized on behalf of the NHS, acknowledging that families have been "ignored, gaslit, lied to, manipulated and damaged further by the inability for a trust to simply be honest with them that something has gone wrong."
The investigation will be conducted in two parts. The first will focus on up to 10 of the most concerning maternity and neonatal units, including confirmed trusts such as University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. This phase aims to deliver answers to affected families as quickly as possible. The second part will undertake a system-wide review of maternity and neonatal care, synthesizing lessons from past inquiries to develop a clear set of actions to improve care nationwide.
Streeting emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that maternity care should be the "litmus test" by which the government is judged on patient safety. "Up and down the country, maternity units are failing, hospitals are failing, trusts are failing, regulators are failing," he said. "There’s too much obfuscation; too much passing the buck and giving lip service." He revealed that more money is currently paid out in clinical negligence claims related to maternity failures than is spent on maternity services themselves, underscoring the scale of the crisis.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has also established a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by Streeting and composed of experts and bereaved families, to oversee the inquiry and subsequent reforms. A package of measures is planned to increase accountability and foster the cultural change needed within NHS maternity services.
Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, described the investigation as a "line in the sand for maternity care," emphasizing the need for transparency and clear actions. "Despite the hard work of staff, too many women are experiencing unacceptable maternity care and families continue to be let down by the NHS when they need us most," he said. "Each year, over half a million babies are born under our care and maternity safety rightly impacts public trust in the NHS – so we must act immediately to improve outcomes for the benefit of mothers, babies, families and staff."
The inquiry follows a troubling pattern of scandals and poor outcomes at NHS trusts across England. In Leeds, concerns were raised after an investigation revealed 56 potentially avoidable baby deaths and two maternal deaths between 2019 and 2024. Subsequent inspections downgraded Leeds General Infirmary and St James's Hospital from "good" to "inadequate," citing risks of avoidable harm, staffing shortages, leadership failures, and a "blame culture" that discouraged staff from raising concerns. Forty-seven families have since come forward with allegations of poor maternity care at Leeds, including cases of infant death and maternal injury.
Similarly, at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, nine babies died and four mothers nearly lost their lives between 2021 and 2023. Maternity services at Worthing Hospital and Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton were rated "inadequate" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in 2021. Families have reported reluctance by staff to act urgently and an overreliance on telephone assessments, leading to inadequate monitoring during labor. The parents of baby Orlando Davis, who died 14 days after birth in 2021, described living a "life sentence" due to neglect that a coroner confirmed contributed to his death.
Other trusts under scrutiny include Gloucester, Mid and South Essex, and potentially Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, where more than 500 families have reported serious harm. Campaign groups and legal representatives have called for a statutory public inquiry, arguing that systemic problems in maternity care are enduring and resistant to change without decisive government action.
Racial disparities in maternity outcomes remain a stark concern. Streeting highlighted that babies of black ethnicity are twice as likely to be stillborn compared to white babies, and black women are two to three times more likely to die during or shortly after pregnancy. Although the gap has slightly narrowed, this is partly due to an increase in maternal deaths among white women. The Department of Health had set a goal in 2017 to reduce maternal mortality rates by 50% between 2010 and 2025; however, rates have risen by 27% from 2009 to 2022, with a 10% increase even after accounting for Covid-19.
Experts warn that the maternity workforce is stretched to breaking point. Professor Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, stated, "The maternity workforce is on its knees, with many now leaving the profession. It is vital that the national review is done quickly, builds on evidence from previous investigations, and produces a definitive set of recommendations that galvanizes action across the system." She emphasized the need for adequate staffing, training, and modern equipment to provide safe, personalized care.
The investigation is expected to report back by December 2025. Meanwhile, NHS chief executive Sir Jim Mackey and chief nursing officer Duncan Burton will meet trusts of greatest concern within the next month to hold them accountable for improvements.
As the inquiry unfolds, bereaved families and advocacy groups hope that this marks a turning point for NHS maternity services, demanding transparency, justice, and above all, safer care for mothers and their babies. The government’s commitment to tackling deep-rooted problems, including cultural failings and inequalities, offers a chance to rebuild trust in a service that has long been a source of heartbreak for many.
