PSA responds to Independent Investigation into Maternity and Neonatal Services in England
02 Jul 2026
Baroness Amos’ final report of the Independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation highlights significant harm, trauma and loss to women and their families as a result of failures in maternity and neonatal care across England. This is deeply concerning, and our sympathies are with the women, children and their families who have been affected.
The report also highlights the profound impact of racism, discrimination, and inequality on the quality and safety of care. The report rightly challenges organisations across the system to address these issues with urgency to prevent further harm.
These findings are echoed across several other maternity reviews and investigations, including the recently published review of services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. Common themes are women and their families not being listened to, and failures of accountability and learning when things go wrong.
The report highlights the complexity of the maternity and neonatal landscape within the overall patient safety system and the need for greater clarity, coordination and accountability across organisations in tackling these issues.
We note the Government’s commitment to establish a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce and appoint a Maternity Commissioner in response to the review’s findings.
Professional regulation also needs to be part of the solution to these issues, both in strengthening regulatory oversight and in helping to address wider systemic issues relating to culture, leadership and equality.
The PSA will work with the regulators we oversee to understand the implications of the report’s findings, support learning, and consider how regulation can contribute to delivering safer, fairer and more compassionate care for women, babies and families.
ENDS
Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care
Contact: media@professionalstandards.org.uk
Notes to the editor
- The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) is the UK’s oversight body for the regulation of people working in health and social care. Our statutory remit, independence and expertise underpin our commitment to the safety of patients and service-users, and to the protection of the public. There are 10 organisations that regulate health professionals in the UK and social workers in England by law. We audit their performance and review their decisions on practitioners’ fitness to practise.
- We also accredit and set standards for organisations holding registers of health and care practitioners not regulated by law. We collaborate with all of these organisations to improve standards. We share good practice, knowledge and our right-touch regulation expertise.
- We also conduct and promote research on regulation. We monitor policy developments in the UK and internationally, providing guidance to governments and stakeholders. Through our UK and international consultancy, we share our expertise and broaden our regulatory insights.
- Our values are – integrity, transparency, respect, fairness and teamwork – and we strive to ensure that they are at the core of our work.