The Government's public consultation will help shape the future of the NHS for the next 10 years.
We want the Government to put saving babies' lives and improving care for bereaved parents at the top of the agenda.
Last month the Government launched what it called ‘the biggest national conversation about the future of the NHS since its birth’ and asked organisations and any member of the public to share their views on how the NHS needs to change over the next 10 years.
Still time to have your say on the NHS
The public consultation is still open so if you haven’t done so already this is your chance to add your voice and help to shape the NHS 10 year plan.
Please take note that this consultation is for the NHS in England only and will most likely be open until early 2025. But with no specific closing date, we would recommend getting your responses in now to help influence change.
Taking part is easy. Simply follow our helpful guide to find tips and suggestions on things you could say.
Our response to the Change NHS consultation
Sands has now submitted its response, and we’re determined to keep maternity and neonatal services high on the agenda in the new NHS plan.
We know that not enough progress is being made to stop babies from dying and end inequalities in loss. We also know too many bereaved parents are not getting the mental health support they need.
Here are the highlights of what we’re asking the NHS in England to change:
- Renew and extend the national maternity safety ambitions.
The 10 year plan must renew the national maternity safety ambitions between 2025-2035, with ambitious targets to save babies’ lives.
- Improved quality and safety of maternity services.
The Government and NHS England must move away from focusing on individual units which are found to be failing and set out a comprehensive national approach that improves safety in all maternity units across England.
- Ending inequality in baby loss.
It is unacceptable that there are inequalities in baby loss by ethnicity and deprivation. Renewed national maternity safety ambitions must include a focus on ending inequality in baby loss. Join our campaign to #EndInequalityInBabyLoss.
- Improved mental health support for bereaved families.
When a baby dies, it is essential that parents and family members can access the high-quality care and support they need. The 10-year plan must ensure that all bereaved parents can access pregnancy and baby loss mental health support pathways. -
A fully implemented National Bereavement Care Pathway (NBCP)
Sands leads the National Bereavement Care Pathways (NBCP) to improve the quality and consistency of bereavement care received by parents from the NHS after pregnancy or baby loss. All hospitals must be supported by NHS England and NHS trust leadership to fully implement the NBCP standards including funding for specialist bereavement staff, training and bereavement spaces. Once implemented, NHS England must audit provision against the NBCP standards regularly.
- Supporting bereaved parents throughout reviews and investigations.
The current complaints and reviews process is unnecessarily complicated for bereaved parents to navigate. NHS England should place a positive obligation on healthcare professionals to facilitate bereaved parents raising their concerns.
The continuing existence of ‘blame culture’ prevents openness and transparency with bereaved parents. The complaints and regulatory landscape of maternity services must be simplified.
Sands and Tommy’s working together to save lives.
The Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit have also responded to the consultation, calling on the NHS to use the 10-year plan to set new ambitions to reduce baby loss.
Find out more about the work of the Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit.
Sands is here for you.
We understand that thinking about or taking part in the Change NHS consultation may bring up all kinds of emotions. Sands is here for anyone affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby, however recently or longer ago, for as long as they need this.