Baroness Amos Considers Statutory Inquiry into NHS Maternity Failures
Baroness Valerie Amos, chair of the government's national investigation into NHS maternity services, has declined to rule out recommending a statutory inquiry into what she describes as "shocking" standards of care. Speaking to BBC Radio's Today programme on Thursday, she emphasised that her team's initial findings are "deep and broad" and based on distressing accounts from thousands of families.
Interim Report Reveals Systemic Issues
The interim report, published on Thursday, draws from interviews with 400 families and submissions from 8,000 individuals. It uncovered alarming examples of racism against Black and Asian women within maternity services. Baroness Amos stated that these experiences have been "very difficult to listen to," but families participated because they "want to see change" for future patients.
When questioned about potentially recommending a statutory inquiry—which would possess stronger legal powers to compel witnesses compared to her current non-statutory review—Baroness Amos responded, "I haven't got to the point of what recommendations I will be making. I'm not ruling anything in or out at this stage." Her final recommendations are scheduled for submission to the government in June.
Calls for Stronger Accountability
Campaign groups representing affected families have been vocal in demanding a statutory public inquiry. They argue that such an inquiry would provide necessary legal authority to ensure thorough scrutiny and accountability. Anita Jewitt, Head of Medical Negligence at law firm Stewarts, commented on the situation, noting that while the Amos review is welcome, recurring themes of leadership failures, cultural issues, discrimination, and lack of accountability across successive reviews raise questions about whether a statutory inquiry is warranted.
"A statutory public inquiry makes it far more difficult for accountability to be deflected," Jewitt explained. "It can provide a level of scrutiny that reassures families that no stone has been left unturned." She highlighted concerns about whether systemic change can be realistically achieved through a non-statutory review alone.
Legal and Procedural Concerns
In her report, Baroness Amos addressed specific legal issues, noting that families who have experienced stillbirths feel the law "incentivises" the recording of deaths as stillbirths to avoid coroner investigations. During an interview with Sky News, she elaborated, "Many families feel the only recourse they have is to push for a coroner's inquest, but the law is very clear that the baby has to have taken a breath. There are families that feel very strongly that they have seen a sign of life and yet they have been told there has been no sign of life."
When asked if the law should be amended, Baroness Amos indicated her team is examining the issue in detail but it is too early to specify recommendations. This scrutiny comes amid broader concerns about transparency and justice for grieving families.
Historical Context and Ongoing Challenges
The Amos investigation follows previous high-profile inquiries, such as the Donna Ockenden-led review into Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital, which found in 2023 that care failures contributed to 200 avoidable baby deaths. Ockenden is also overseeing a non-statutory inquiry into maternity failures in Nottingham, investigating approximately 2,500 cases of alleged harm.
Baroness Amos revealed in December that over the past decade, there have been 748 recommendations from various inquiries and investigations into maternity services, yet progress has been "too slow." In the foreword to her interim report, she stressed that "time and time again" families and staff witness the same issues recurring despite numerous reviews. "This cycle must stop," she asserted, underscoring the urgent need for transformative action.
The final report from Baroness Amos, expected in June, aims to deliver a comprehensive set of national recommendations to address these deep-seated problems and foster meaningful improvement in NHS maternity care.
