The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates health services in England, has published a damning report regarding the standard of care at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, rating the maternity services as ‘inadequate’.

Whilst having a baby is an exciting time for most families, some births don’t always go to plan leading to complications that require neonatal intervention and care.  It has been reported that there are 700,000 babies admitted to neonatal care each year.

The Care Quality Commission has rated the maternity services at North Midlands NHS Trust as requires significant improvement. 

Pregnant women and new mothers across the UK are often not receiving vital mental health services that should be readily available to them.

As we reflect on Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (1 – 7 May 2023), it has been reported that pregnant women and new mothers across the UK are often not receiving vital mental health services that should be readily available to them.

Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Trust has been told by the CQC to take urgent action to protect women and babies from harm.

Nailah Ally, was diagnosed with Necrotising Enterocolitis (NEC) – a serious illness which sees the gut become inflamed and start to die – shortly after her birth in October 2019. She developed feeding issues as well as a swollen stomach and had to be fed via a tube.

An independent maternity review conducted by the Health and Safety Investigation Bureau (HSIB) (an organisation created to investigate patient care), has found that the deaths of three women whilst under the care of Royal Derby Hospital, part of the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, over the period January 2021 to May 2022 may have been preventable.