Leigh Day welcomes appointment of UK's first national maternity commissioner as focus turns to delivering maternity reform

The report identifies deep-rooted systemic issues affecting maternity and neonatal care, including persistent inequalities, workforce pressures, variation in the quality and safety of care, and failures to consistently listen to women and families. It also concludes that there has been no shortage of recommendations or improvement initiatives in recent years, but that these have not translated into clear and lasting improvements across the system.

The report places listening to women and families at the heart of maternity care, highlighting the importance of compassionate communication, responding appropriately to concerns, tackling racism and inequalities, and creating a culture where women, birthing people and families are actively involved in decisions about their care.

Baroness Amos recommended eight changes to overhaul the system, including the appointment of a maternity commissioner with a "relentless focus" on improving care.

The government has accepted the review's recommendation to appoint the UK's first Maternity and Neonatal Commissioner. The new independent role will provide national leadership, co-chair the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, champion the voices of women and families, oversee implementation of reforms and help drive accountability across maternity services.

The government has also committed to publishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Action Plan in December 2026, alongside new investment and national standards for maternity triage.

Baroness Amos' review comes just days after Donna Ockenden’s review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust exposed deep-rooted failings in care and called for urgent action across the NHS. Together, the Ockenden and Amos reviews have set out a roadmap for reform, with the government’s response marking the next stage in delivering lasting improvements for women, babies and families.

Leigh Day represents families affected by maternity failures across England and Wales and has long supported stronger national oversight to ensure lessons identified in reviews are implemented consistently across the NHS.

Suzanne White, head of medical negligence at law firm Leigh Day said:

"The publication of Baroness Valerie Amos’s national maternity and neonatal review should be a defining moment for maternity services in England. By bringing together the evidence from the experiences of thousands of families and professionals, the review makes an overwhelming case for fundamental reform of the maternity system.  

"Crucially, the review acknowledges that the challenge is no longer identifying what is wrong, but ensuring that improvements are consistently delivered. Families need confidence that recommendations will be implemented, organisations will be held to account and safety will not depend on where they receive care. 

"We particularly welcome the recommendation for a national maternity commissioner. There has long been a gap in national leadership and accountability for maternity services. An independent commissioner has the potential to provide the oversight needed to ensure the voices of women and families remain at the heart of decision-making, to drive improvements across the NHS and to make sure hard-won lessons are translated into lasting change. 

"We note that the review concluded the evidence it gathered did not allow it to determine the national prevalence of so-called ‘normal birth’ ideology. However, we continue to hear from families whose experiences suggest that they felt under pressure to pursue particular approaches to birth. Whatever the prevalence nationally, every woman is entitled to personalised, evidence-based care.

"The review is right to place such strong emphasis on listening to women and families, tackling inequalities and creating a culture where concerns are heard and acted upon. Those principles are fundamental to safe maternity care and should underpin every service across the country.  

"The government’s commitment to publish a national maternity and neonatal action plan by December 2026 is an important next step. We will be looking closely at that plan to see how these recommendations will be implemented, who will be responsible for delivering them, and how progress will be measured. Families deserve more than another well-intentioned report, they deserve to see meaningful improvements in the safety and quality of maternity care, backed by clear accountability and national leadership."