Government announces 14 hospital trusts to be looked at in a national investigation
The 14 hospital trusts to be looked at as part of a rapid, independent, national investigation into maternity and neonatal services have been named today.
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Baroness Amos’ investigation will put families at the heart of the work and affected families were asked to provide input to the draft terms of reference of the investigation.
The Terms of Reference have been developed to focus on understanding the experiences of affected women and families, identifying lessons learned and driving the improvements needed to ensure high quality and safe maternity and neonatal care across England.
The investigation was announced in June 2025 by Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting after the government inherited systemic problems in maternity and neonatal care dating back over 15 years.
It comes alongside a package of immediate actions to improve care, including greater intervention by the Secretary of State and NHS Chief Executive to hold failing trusts to account - a key step in delivering the government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future through the Plan for Change.
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Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:
The investigation will urgently look at a range of services across the entire maternity system, following independent reviews across multiple trusts that have revealed a pattern of similar failings: women’s voices ignored, safety concerns overlooked, and poor leadership creating toxic cultures.
The Health and Social Care Secretary and Baroness Amos have agreed the terms of reference of the independent investigation, which will include understanding the lived experiences of families, reviewing the quality and safety of services, identifying the drivers and impact of inequalities and identifying barriers to making improvements.
Following its conclusion, she will deliver one clear set of national recommendation to achieve consistently high-quality, safe maternity and neonatal care, with interim recommendations delivered in December 2025.
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Baroness Valerie Amos said:
The 14 trusts announced today have been chosen for investigation based on a range of factors. These include data and metrics, such as the CQC maternity patient survey and MBRRACE-UK perinatal mortality rates, as well as criteria to determine a diverse mix of trusts:
The 14 NHS trusts are:
Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England said:
This will address several issues facing maternity care in England – including the devastating inequalities facing women from Black, Asian and deprived backgrounds face, and wider concerns over a lack of compassionate care and safety.
Notes to Editors