Baby Loss Awareness Week echoes CQC Maternity Review demand for change
The theme for this year's Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October) is 'Together, we care'. Every year, a key aim of the Week is driving change. The campaign highlights the urgent need for improvements to maternity services to prevent avoidable baby loss and the need for better bereavement care to families whose babies die in hospital.
Meanwhile the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) National Review of Maternity Services in England sets out thematic findings and recommendations arising from 131 inspections between August 2022 and December 2023 which make distressing and uncomfortable reading for those working in the sector.
The report highlighted that no services inspected rated as outstanding for being safe. Almost half (47%) were rated as requires improvement for the safety, while 35% were rated as good and 18% as inadequate.
The report also states that more work is needed to ensure incidents are properly reported and graded and raises concerns about the potential normalising of serious harm in maternity. It also shows that while many of the issues are systemic, with the right culture, services can improve and learn from one another.
During our work representing families experiencing the most devastating loss of a baby, we recognise the importance of taking every opportunity to see that lessons are learned so that standards and services improve in the short and long term.
I recently represented several families who had experienced baby loss at the same hospital Trust. Through the legal process, the Trust ultimately made full admissions of liability, acknowledged their errors and identified key learnings they committed to implement as a result.
Beyond supporting families, an essential part of our work is to support baby loss charities that aim to promote patient safety and generate long term positive change.
I was particularly proud to have been involved in hosting and speaking at the 4Louis National Bereavement Midwives and Neonatal Nurses Symposium this year with Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer NHS England and Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer NHS England.
Watch excerpts from the conference
It is clear from these types of events that practitioners involved in maternity care are aware of the strains the UK's maternity services are under and are committed to working together to improve safety for mothers and babies. They certainly have the full support of the medical negligence team.
Read about our birth injury and baby loss claims, including information about relevant charities.