What the National Maternity Review Means for Midwives and Obstetricians

Hannah Hunt
12 minutes ago
4 min read

The launch of the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation represents one of the biggest system-level examinations of maternity care in recent years. While its goal is positive and necessary - to improve safety, equity, and outcomes for families - it arrives at a time when maternity teams are already under immense pressure.

This article outlines what the national review means for clinicians, and what support we offer to help balance the drive for improvement amidst an existing multitude of demands.

Contents:

Summary of the investigation
Which hospitals are being investigated
What trusts will be assessed on
What support is available for clinicians
Conclusion & takeaways

What Is the National Maternity Investigation?

The investigation has two parts:

Immediate scrutiny of the worst-performing maternity and neonatal units to provide quicker answers to families and to drive urgent improvement.
A system-wide review of maternity and neonatal care across England, bringing together lessons from past inquiries to produce a unified set of national actions to raise standards everywhere.

Alongside the investigation, immediate steps are being taken, such as:

Holding NHS trust leadership to account, especially in those areas of greatest concern.
Rolling out a new digital system across maternity services to flag safety concerns more rapidly.
Launching an anti-discrimination programme to tackle inequalities in maternity outcomes for Black, Asian, and other underserved groups.

Which NHS Trusts Are Under Investigation in the National Maternity Review

The 14 NHS trusts included in the review are:

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Oxford University Hospital
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn
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

What Will Trusts Be Assessed on During the Maternity Investigation

A list of assessment criteria has not yet been released, but based on what is emphasised in the announcement, units will likely be assessed on:

Safety - How well units identify, monitor, and respond to risks and adverse events.
Quality of care / clinical standards - Ensuring adherence to evidence-based protocols, good outcomes for mothers and babies, reducing avoidable harm.
Compassion and patient experience - Failings in “compassionate care” (e.g. listening to women, respectful treatment) were explicitly called out as past problems.
Equity and discrimination - Addressing inequalities in care and outcomes, especially for Black, Asian, and other disadvantaged populations.
Trust with families and transparency - Being honest and open with families, providing “truth” and accountability, facilitating participation.

What Support Is Available for Clinicians - During & After the Review

AGHealth partners with maternity teams to drive clinical and operational excellence through evidence-based solutions and hands-on implementation support.

Through providing higher accuracy diagnostic tests for PROM and preterm labour with AmniSure and PartoSure, and non-pharmacological induction of labour with DILAPAN-S, our imperative is to help you to deliver safety, efficiency, and optimum outcomes for your patients.

Here are the 5 ways we help clinicians navigate the challenges, and seize the opportunities, that lie ahead:

Evidence-Based Products

AGHealth provides widely used maternity products supported by robust clinical literature and real-world evidence.
Access to this evidence helps clinicians make confident, informed decisions and demonstrates adherence to evidence-based practice.
Find literature and resources here.

Dedicated Trust Partnership

Every hospital is supported by a dedicated AGHealth account manager who works closely with your team to understand local needs.
This partnership helps embed best-practice workflows safely and efficiently, ensuring consistency and alignment with local and national protocols.
You can contact your local account manager here.

Training and Education

We provide tailored training and hands-on support to ensure staff feel confident using our products.
Our training events and peer-to-peer sessions allow clinicians to share insights, experiences, and stay updated on recent clinical data.
You can find a list of our upcoming educational events here.

Protocols, Documentation, and Audits

Guidance and practical resources are provided to support compliance and best practice, including SOP, audit and business-case templates - helping reduce the administrative burden of implementing new tools.

In-Depth Knowledge of Maternity Challenges

Working with multiple NHS trusts across the UK gives us insight into differing resources, staffing pressures, and workflows.
This allows our team to share best-practice approaches from other units, offering new solutions and insights that work for your hospital.

Conclusion & Takeaways

Even though the headlines may suggest otherwise, this review is not a judgement on the commitment or competence of the maternity workforce. It is an attempt to:

understand persistent system pressures
address longstanding staffing and resource issues
ensure leadership is accountable
create environments where clinicians can practise safely and sustainably

AGHealth recognise and appreciate the incredible dedication of maternity staff working in such challenging circumstances, and we’re here to support you in any way we can.

How AGHealth’s Support Aligns to the Review’s Priorities

Review Priority	How We Support You
Safety & risk identification	Evidence-based devices, training, and protocols to support confident decision-making.
Quality of care / clinical standards	SOPs, audits, and best-practice guidance to ensure consistent, high-quality care.
Reducing variation	Cross-trust insights and standardised tools to support uniform practice.
Support for staff under pressure	Practical, empathetic guidance and training that integrates with existing workflows.
Transparency & documentation	Templates, SOPs, and audit tools to make documentation and governance easier.