'We can't continue like this': Inquiry demands NHS maternity overhaul

'We can't continue like this': Inquiry demands NHS maternity overhaulByMichael Buchanan, Social Affairs and Eleanor Lawrie, Social AffairsPublishedJust nowA national inquiry has strongly criticised the NHS maternity system in England, saying it is "not set up to deliver consistently safe, high-quality and compassionate care".Baroness Valerie Amos, who chaired the government-commissioned review, found "unacceptable racism and discrimination embedded within the system" and said that "as a country... we cannot continue like this".She recommended eight changes to overhaul the system, including the appointment of a maternity commissioner with a "relentless focus" on improving care.Her independent findings come days after a review into maternity care in Nottingham found hundreds of women and babies had been harmed by poor care.Racism and 'poor' staff relationships factors in maternity care failings, report findsPublished26 FebruaryHungry mothers and dirty wards - maternity care 'much worse' than anticipated, review chief saysPublished9 December 2025Controversy has surrounded the publication of the final Amos report after one of the country's leading maternity investigators resigned over its conclusions.Dr Bill Kirkup, who investigated maternity services in Morecambe Bay and East Kent, is understood to have disagreed with Baroness Amos over her finding that a push for normal birth, including denying women caesarean sections, was not prevalent nationally.A series of scandalsThe National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, external was set up last summer by the then-health secretary, Wes Streeting.The aim to was produce a report to drive through improvements across England after a series of maternity scandals undermined the trust of many families in the NHS.Baroness Amos and her team heard from more than 450 families and visited 12 NHS trusts to understand what change was needed.The key failing...