The Government has announced today that mothers who suffer a "miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of a baby" will receive more support from the NHS.  The announcement, from Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, outlined how for the first time, the NHS will be measured against how well it looks after parents who have miscarried or suffered a stillbirth or cot death, and that patients will be asked to rate their care so the NHS can improve it. 

In it's response to the announcement, Sands said:

We welcome the Government’s announcement today that women who suffer a miscarriage or stillbirth will receive more support from the NHS. 



Recognition that mothers whose babies died need to be better-supported and cared for by the NHS is long overdue,  and we sincerely hope that this announcement will translate into a firm commitment from the Government to ensure that women’s health care, particularly in the area of baby bereavement, is a priority.

There are 6,500 stillbirths and newborn baby deaths every year in the UK, and the need for specialist support for the parents who endure this devastating loss must not be under-estimated. We know that parents often feel very isolated and confused following the death of their baby, and the care they receive in the aftermath of such a tragedy can have a life-long impact.

We look forward now to hearing more detail about how the Government plans to implement today’s promises, along with its proposed timeframe for the changes.

To read the press release issued by the Department of Health about today's announcement, click here.