British midwife, reformer of maternity services and independent reviewer
The government has announced binding national maternity standards through a new taskforce, aiming to end postcode disparities and tackle racial inequalities. The plan follows long‑standing concerns about care quality and recent safety data.
A government-ordered review into Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has exposed long-standing failings in maternity care, with 2,500 families and 800 staff contributing to the Ockenden inquiry. Police investigations and large fines are part of the ongoing accountability process, as the NHS faces calls for systemic reform.
A major NHS maternity investigation has identified widespread failures at Nottingham University Hospitals, with hundreds of harm cases, underlining staffing and leadership problems that span years. The review cites understaffing, culture issues, and delays in care, prompting renewed calls for accountability and reform across England’s maternity services.
The Amos review has recommended appointing a national maternity and neonatal commissioner to drive urgent reforms in England. Ministers are now pursuing this plan, signaling a turning point after years of concerns about safety, listening to women, and discrimination. An accompanying 10-point plan sets out actions to improve triage, staffing, capacity, and accountability.
The NHS is expanding an AI-driven triage tool across app users, directing patients to the right service and reducing wait times. Trials show a 29% drop in GP phone queue lines, and the program is part of a larger £10bn tech overhaul. Safety, privacy, and digital inclusion remain priorities as the rollout reaches 200,000 patients this year and all users by 2028.
A major NHS maternity review has found hundreds of mothers and babies suffered potentially avoidable harm due to deeply embedded failures at Nottingham University Hospitals. Officials face renewed calls for accountability as MPs consider Hillsborough Law measures.
Health ministers push binding national maternity standards and a new commissioner to end postcode gaps, following multiple investigations into failures. The plan aims to improve patient experience and address racial inequalities in maternity care.
The Welsh election ends Labour’s 26-year hold on the Senedd, with Plaid Cymru forming a minority government alongside Reform UK. The new coalition faces internal clashes over policy, from refugees to devolved powers, as it sets out its first days in power.
Campaigners press for paid leave and extended carers’ leave as a government review on parental support gathers pace. Dame Rachel de Souza argues for 12 weeks paid leave at 90% pay and a right to return to work, while carers’ leave is set to rise to 10 days a year.
Independent review led by Donna Ockenden is examining more than 1,000 maternity and neonatal cases dating back to 2018 at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, with families invited to contribute as sessions continue.
Worthing Hospital’s maternity service has been downgraded from good to requires improvement by the Care Quality Commission after an April 2026 inspection found concerns over safe care, medicines management and obstetric capacity. The hospital remains under review as an independent inquiry examines broader complaints from families.