Families across the country will see their maternity and neonatal care overhauled, as the government takes urgent steps in response to Baroness Amos’s landmark independent investigation - including the creation of the UK’s first ever maternity and neonatal commissioner.
The new commissioner will provide independent leadership to hold the system to account, drive change and rebuild trust, co-chairing the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce with the Secretary of State. Crucially, the commissioner will ensure the voices of women are always heard by those at the heart of the system.
Baroness Amos examined the experiences of thousands of women, their families and staff, alongside local investigations of 12 trusts, and her report paints a stark picture.
It found a system that is fragmented, overly complex and too slow to learn, that women and families are not being listened to, that there is a lack of accountability and answers when things go wrong, and that racism and discrimination are driving inequalities in care. Staff also reported feeling unheard. The measures announced will begin the process of turning that around.
A comprehensive national action plan will be published in December 2026, setting out priority actions and long-term reform to deliver safer, fairer care. This will be driven by the taskforce, bringing together families, clinicians and other experts with a clear focus on safety, equity and accountability.
Alongside structural reform, the government is investing a further £41 million to tackle urgent safety risks in maternity and neonatal facilities, building on £145 million already committed since April 2025. This funding aims to address issues such as fire safety, ventilation issues and outdated infrastructure - creating safer environments for mothers and newborns.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care James Murray said: "For too long, women, babies and families have been failed by a system that didn’t listen. Their stories are heartbreaking and demand action. I am grateful to Baroness Amos for her work on this landmark review, which is a turning point. Appointing the UK’s first ever maternity and neonatal commissioner will drive lasting change and make sure women and families are never ignored again."
For patients, the Government says that the changes will mean more consistent, responsive care. New national standards for maternity triage will aim to ensure women are assessed quickly, listened to properly and given safe, timely care from the moment they arrive.
Further urgent changes include the national rollout of the Perinatal Equity and Anti-Discrimination Programme. This will tackle unacceptable inequalities in care and outcomes, particularly for Black and Asian women, those from deprived backgrounds and other marginalised groups.
A total of 1,000 temporary roles will be created to help newly qualified midwives join the NHS, backed by more than £10 million in government funding. The jobs will be for graduates and will help prevent a third of student midwives from leaving the profession.
The taskforce will also be looking at all parts of the health system when things go wrong - including regulators - to ensure that accountability is established.
Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, said: "Too many women, babies and families have been harmed, bereaved or badly let down by maternity care, and too often women and families who raised concerns were not listened to.
"This has to change. Women and families must be taken seriously when they say something is wrong, and staff must feel able to speak up when they are worried about safety.
"The NHS is determined to address this quickly and we will work with the new maternity and neonatal commissioner to achieve this. NHS leaders are also coming together today to set out how immediate actions can be taken across all maternity and neonatal services in England to improve safety and the support and care offered to women and families."
Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon OBE, Chair of the Race Equality Engagement Group, said: "The findings highlighted by Baroness Amos’s important report reveal the deeply entrenched racial inequalities that exist in maternity and neonatal services in England.
"Racism and discrimination have no place in our health service. The fact that women have received worse care due to their race or background is totally unacceptable and cannot continue. I look forward to the government’s urgent work to now deliver the manifesto commitment to set a target for tackling the maternal mortality gap.
"I would also like to place on record my thanks to Baroness Amos for leading this vital and timely report."
