Amos Review: Maternity report needs to be ‘watershed’ moment in improving care

Specialist medical negligence lawyers representing hundreds of families affected by maternity failings say the Amos Review must be a watershed moment for patient safety — and that its recommendations are acted on without delay.

The final national maternity and neonatal investigation report has today been published. Led by Baroness Amos, the review has examined maternity services at 12 hospital trusts and sets out national recommendations aimed at improving care and safety for women, babies and families.

Medical negligence experts at Irwin Mitchell, who represent hundreds of families affected by maternity care failings across the country, said the report cannot become another missed opportunity to turn hard lessons into lasting change.

Medical negligence lawyer reacts to Amos maternity report publication 

Lisa Jordan is head of medical negligence at law firm Irwin Mitchell.

“This report has to be more than another warning about the state of maternity care. It must be the watershed moment that finally drives the urgent, practical improvements needed to keep mums and babies safe.

 

“For too long, families have been left devastated by avoidable harm. While the review has looked closely at 12 Trusts, our work with families shows these are not isolated problems. We continue to see the same themes repeated in hospitals across the country — concerns not being listened to, opportunities to intervene being missed and families left fighting for answers after the worst has happened.

“This final report must mark the point at which words turn into action. There have been too many previous reviews, too many recommendations and too many families harmed while the system has failed to learn quickly enough. From Morecambe Bay to Shrewsbury and Telford, and more recently Nottingham, the warning signs have been clear for years.

 

“The test now is whether the Amos Review leads to meaningful change on wards, in boardrooms and across the wider maternity system. Families need to see accountability, openness and a clear plan to make care safer — not more promises that are allowed to drift. This report should be remembered as the moment patient safety was put first.”

Amos review recommendations 

The Amos review’s recommendations include:

•   The government and NHS England create a redesigned and modern maternity and neonatal care service within a year, the roll-out of which should begin within 18 months.
•    The government appoint a maternity and neonatal commissioner whose role will be to drive urgent and systemwide change, hold the health system to account and champion the voices of families.
•    The Department for Health and Social Care, NHS England, and NHS Trusts take action to listen to women and families within 12 months.
•    The quality, transparency and accountability of investigation reports into incidents where a mum or baby has suffered harm are improved.
•    Tackling racism, discrimination and inequalities in care.
•    Culture and teamworking as well as leadership are improved.
•    Hospital buildings and digital technology is improved.

Our maternity care report

Irwin Mitchell recently published the findings of its own maternity care report which found a quarter of mums are not confident in the safety and quality of their local maternity services.

The YouGov poll of 1,145 adults in England and Wales also found 27 per cent believe maternity services are declining, compared with 22 per cent who think they are improving.

Almost half of respondents (46 per cent) said that staffing shortages was their top concern with 41 per cent saying that postnatal care fell short of expectations.

The 12 Hospital Trusts reviewed by the Amos team were:

•    Barking, Havering & Redbridge (East London)
•    Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
•    Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust
•    East Kent Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust
•    Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust
•    Oxford University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
•    Sandwell & 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
•    Somerset NHS Foundation Trust