Streeting 'pushing for stronger action' on maternity failings

The health and social care secretary had previously met with a group of campaigners for improved standards in December. But in a letter to them this week he admitted: “It has taken far longer than anticipated to come back to you with concrete plans for the actions we will take….I also realise that the lack of any update may have inadvertently implied that it was not a priority for me. This had never been my intention.”

The letter, seen by HSJ, added: ”I was keen that they were sufficiently ambitious to reflect the scale of the challenge with maternity and neonatal care… I have asked NHS England to continue working up a more comprehensive and stronger set of actions that will deliver the change we need – and subject to your views would like to ask them to work directly with yourselves.”

The delay in contact since December has caused some disquiet among families affected by recent maternity scandals, who felt they had been promised swifter action. Some groups favour a public inquiry into maternity nationally – which Mr Streeting is thought unlikely to offer – while other families hope for a “maternity czar” to drive forward change. Last week’s HSJ podcast discussed their disappointment at the lack of progress.

Mr Streeting is thought to have previously met campaigners whose babies had been born at trusts which have had known issues with poor maternity care, including ones which have already had critical reports such as East Kent Hospital University Foundation Trust and the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay FT. However, groups have also been founded calling for better care at a number of other trusts, including University Hospitals Sussex FT and Oxford University Hospitals FT.

In a second letter sent last week to other parents, Mr Streeting says he is still considering calls for specific inquiries into particular trusts, including UHSussex. 

In his letter this week, the MP said “on behalf of the Department, I offer my sincere apologies” for the delay in his response and action, and asked to meet the families again to discuss his plans, which include a set of immediate actions as well as longer-term plans to tackle entrenched issues.

Mr Streeting told them that he had also meet with families involved in the inquiry into Nottingham University Hospitals Trust and had heard “similar themes of failures in care, and again. Of harm being compounded by the system’s response.”

“I am personally prioritising this work to ensure that women, babies and their families receive the care they deserve,” he added. “In doing, this your experiences that you previously shared with me are at the forefront of my mind.”

Updated: 10.24 28 May with details of letter to other parents