- Health secretary Yvette Cooper announced the reintroduction of national maternity standards to improve care across the NHS, following a review that highlighted repeated failures.
- The new standards will be measured by patient experience and will incorporate an early warning system designed to signal underperforming maternity services.
- Ms Cooper stated that a new maternity taskforce will be established to implement these standards, aiming to end the 'postcode lottery' of care and address racial inequalities within maternity services.
- The announcement comes after a review led by Baroness Valerie Amos, which faced criticism for allegedly removing criticisms of a drive for normal births, leading to the resignation of Dr Bill Kirkup.
- Ms Cooper also committed to appointing a national maternity commissioner to champion these issues, emphasising the importance of prioritising maternity and child health within the NHS and ensuring women feel listened to.
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