Sands has responded to the publication of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Maternity Inspection Programme report. 

A long-awaited report published by the CQC has found just under 50% of maternity units inspected since August 2022 were rated as ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate overall, with only 35% rated ‘good’ for safety. 

Improving maternity safety is key to saving babies’ lives and we know that in some cases where a baby had died, there has been a failure in duty of care.  

As the Government develops a new 10-year plan for the NHS, Sands is calling on them to ensure a strong focus on saving more babies’ lives and tackling inequalities in pregnancy and baby loss.  

"Today's CQC report makes clear that in some cases where babies die there has been a failure to provide safe maternity care. Far too many women, babies and families are being let down by the NHS. It is simply not acceptable that poor care and preventable harm have become normalised.

 

"The current scale of pregnancy loss and baby deaths in the UK is shocking, but it can and should be improved as a matter of urgency. We know that listening to bereaved parents can save babies’ lives. 

 

"There are stark and persistent inequalities in the care provided, particularly by ethnicity. The government must make a strong commitment to eliminating inequalities, underpinned by a comprehensive programme of research and improvement.

 

"The government’s wide-ranging review of NHS performance, undertaken by Lord Darzi, made clear that maternity and neonatal services are in need of reform. We urge the government to ensure its 10 year plan for the NHS has a strong focus on saving more babies' lives and state a clear commitment to eliminating inequalities in pregnancy and baby loss.

 

"We will continue our work with the new government and the NHS to ensure that maternity and neonatal safety is the priority it needs to be and to bring about the systemic change that is needed." 
 

- Clea Harmer, Chief Executive of Sands  

Despite reports and reviews into the safety of maternity and neonatal services consistently identifying the same themes, including this CQC report, and the numerous policy initiatives that have been introduced, mortality rates, safety and quality metrics, and patient and staff survey results all show that progress has been inadequate. 

Whilst rates initially dropped, the Government are not on track to meet the national ambition to halve rates of stillbirth and neonatal deaths by 2025. The Sands and Tommy's Joint Policy Unit calculated in 2024, that around 1,000 more lives a year could have been saved since 2018 if the target was met. 

Sands are calling on the new government to renew these ambitions, and widen them to include a clear commitment to eliminating inequalities in pregnancy and baby loss.  

We will continue our work with the new Government and the NHS to ensure that maternity and neonatal safety is the priority it needs to be and to bring about the systemic change that is urgently needed.