Nothing less than radical whole-system change is required to fix the NHS's maternity services | Julia Sanders
It’s vital that Yvette Cooper’s taskforce acts on the Amos and Ockenden reports – and puts the needs of women and families at the heart of maternity services It is hard to find the words to describe the agony for those who have experienced preventable baby loss, injury or maternal death. Understandably, families who have been through this have campaigned relentlessly for local and national…
Yvette Cooper's taskforce must act on the Amos and Ockenden reports, placing the needs of women and families at the core of maternity services. The anguish experienced by those who have faced preventable baby loss, injury, or maternal death is immense. Naturally, families affected by such tragedies have tirelessly campaigned for local and national inquiries. While each family deserves to understand the cause of their loss or trauma, prior reviews have not fulfilled the promise of resolution and accountability.
The discussion on ensuring safe maternity care has grown more intense since the release of the two reports led by Valerie Amos and Donna Ockenden, and the naming of Yvette Cooper as secretary of state for health and social care. This presents a unique chance for comprehensive system-wide transformation. "I am determined to make the cradle a priority within the NHS," Cooper declared to the Guardian recently, highlighting her dedication to appointing a new national maternity commissioner.
Julia Sanders, a professor of clinical midwifery at Cardiff University and an expert advisor to the national maternity and neonatal investigation led by Valerie Amos, continues to contribute to the ongoing efforts.
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