The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has been named as one of 14 NHS trusts to be the focus of a rapid, independent national investigation into maternity and neonatal services.
The inquiry, led by Baroness Valerie Amos, aims to identify systemic issues and make urgent recommendations to improve care and safety across England.
The investigation was announced by Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting in June, following a series of independent reviews that revealed a pattern of similar failings in maternity care, including women’s voices being ignored, safety concerns overlooked, and poor leadership. The government stated that these problems date back over 15 years.
SaTH, which was the subject of a previous review into maternity services, has been included to ensure that learnings from past investigations are incorporated into this new national effort.
The other trusts selected are:
– Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
– Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
– Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust
– East Kent Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust
– Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust
– Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
– Oxford University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
– Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
– The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust
– University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
– University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust
– University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
– Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust / Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
The terms of reference for the investigation were developed with input from bereaved and harmed families, who will be at the heart of the work. The inquiry will focus on understanding the lived experiences of affected families, reviewing the quality and safety of services, identifying the drivers and impact of inequalities, and identifying barriers to making improvements.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Every single preventable tragedy is one too many. Harmed and bereaved families will be right at the heart of this investigation to ensure no-one has to suffer like this again. Bereaved families have shown extraordinary courage in coming forward to help inform this rapid national investigation alongside Baroness Amos.
“What they have experienced is devastating, and their strength will help protect other families from enduring what they have been through. I know that NHS maternity and neonatal workers want the best for these mothers and babies, and that the vast majority of births are safe and without incident, but I cannot turn a blind eye to failures in the system.”
Jo Williams, Chief Executive of The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: “We support the investigation and welcome the opportunity to share our learning and progress we have made.
“Improvement is something we commit to every day, and we are open to any opportunities that can help us to better the care we provide and to continue to build trust with families.”
Baroness Amos emphasised the importance of including the experiences of families, stating, “It is vital that the voices of mothers and families are at the heart of this investigation from the very beginning. Their experiences – including those of fathers and non-birthing partners – will guide our work.” She added that the investigation will pay particular attention to inequalities faced by Black and Asian women and families from marginalised groups.
The trusts were chosen based on a range of factors, including data from the CQC maternity patient survey and MBRRACE-UK perinatal mortality rates, as well as a diverse mix of trust types, geographic coverage, and care provision to individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Interim recommendations are expected in December, with a final set of national recommendations to follow, aimed at achieving consistently high-quality, safe maternity and neonatal care across the country.