Twelve NHS Trusts across England are being investigated over failures in maternity and neonatal services. Some of the issues date back to over fifteen years ago.
What is the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation?
The National Maternity and Neonatal investigation (NMNI) that is currently underway, is an independent review with the aim to develop and publish one set of national recommendations. It intends to improve maternity and neonatal services across England. This comes after previous inquiries have produced 748 recommendations relating to maternity and neonatal care in the past decade with very little implementation and improvements.
Baroness Amos is chairing the review into maternity and neonatal care, and she claims that it “has already been much worse” than she had anticipated. The review was established in August by the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, claiming that “the systemic failures causing preventable tragedies cannot be ignored”.
This review is hoping that there will be a nationwide improvement in maternity and neonatal services.
Why is there a need for this investigation?
This investigation has come about due to numerous complaints of women receiving poor basic care, lack of attention, not listened to and not provided with the right information to make informed choices about their care and more importantly the care of their babies. Many women have claimed they were failed and made to feel voiceless.
Baroness Amos has already started her investigations and claims she had heard stories of women who are “being left in room for hours on end and bleeding out in bathrooms.” Following the visits to seven NHS Trusts and meeting over 170 families, Baroness Amos has stated she had consistently come across:
- A lack of cleanliness, women not receiving meals, or getting help to use the bathroom with catheters not being emptied.
- Women not being listened to, including concerns about reduced fetal movements
- Women of colour, working class women and those with mental health problems receiving discriminatory care.
- NHS organisations “marking their own homework” when babies died or were harmed, with poor behaviours, including inappropriate language not being tackled.
Baroness Amos published an interim report on Wednesday 9th December 2025 which further revealed shortcoming in basic care, a lack of compassion, and systemic failures within the NHS maternity services. Accounts from families and staff cite problems such as unhygienic wards and withheld meals, leading to significant distress and poor outcomes. This has emphasised the urgent requirement for substantial reforms and enhanced staff support despite longstanding alerts.
What is the response to the investigation?
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) welcomed the NMNI, highlighting systemic failures, chronic understaffing, and lack of investment as key issues. They urge immediate government action, improved funding, and staff support to implement recommendations and strengthen existing good practices for safer care. RCM stresses that the findings must lead to real change rather than more reports, addressing what they described as a “deeply distressing picture” of repeated failures in maternity and neonatal services.
Other professional bodies such as Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCGO) and National Childbirth Trust (NCT) have also welcomed the focus on deep-rooted problems. The RCGO recognises the need for improvement specifically in areas such as staff shortages, lack of training and outdates equipment. They have urged for government focus in funding alongside recommendations. The NCT have credited the bereaved families’ bravery and hope that the investigation will finally deliver accountability and clear large-scale improvements.
Why are there calls for a Public Inquiry?
This is a controversial investigation and there has been much public debate on whether this should remain a review or if a statutory public inquiry is the only way forward.
A statutory public inquiry would allow judicial powers to compel disclosure of documents and witnesses to give evidence. Witnesses would give evidence under and oath thus requiring full honesty which would allow meaningful and enforceable change. It would provide families with the transparency they deserve and ensure the lessons learnt are mandatory. However, whilst the review can make recommendations, a Public Inquiry can enforce them.
On the other hand, Baroness Amos is clear in identifying systemic changes that could improve the quality of care in hospital trusts across the country. The aim of this investigation is to call for urgent clarification and for a national guideline to be put in place. The scale of the problem is undeniable and whilst a Public Inquiry may deliver a high level of reform, it will not be able to be completed within a rapid and critical timeframe which is so clearly required. Baroness Amos has been working at an impressive speed and has already discovered clear shortcomings thus there is a sense of optimism that real and genuine change will happen.
The NMNI is not trying to duplicate previous investigations into individual trusts, but act like a task force to enforce tangible improvements. Mr Streeting has already assembled a maternity task force to act immediately on Baroness Amos’ findings. Thus, we hope that genuine and meaningful change will happen
How can Bond Turner support you?
At Bond Turner, we understand that experiencing poor maternity or neonatal care can be one of the most traumatic and life-altering events for any family. If you or your baby suffered an injury during birth, were not properly examined during pregnancy, or are struggling with the psychological impact of a traumatic birth Bond Turner could help you.
Our specialist team of solicitors have extensive expertise in maternity and neonatal negligence claims. We combine legal excellence with genuine empathy, ensuring that your voice is heard and your experience is validated every step of the way. We know these cases are deeply personal, and we approach every client with sensitivity, respect, and unwavering commitment.
We are committed to:
- Provide clear, honest advice tailored to your unique circumstances.
- Handle every aspect of your claim with professionalism and care, so you can focus on your recovery and your family.
- Secure the compensation you deserve, helping you access vital therapies, support services, and financial stability for the future.
We ensure to put you and your family at the heart of everything we do. We believe every mother deserves to feel safe to have a child at an NHS hospital.