In March 2023, NHS England published a three year delivery plan which sets out the ways to make maternity and neonatal care safer, more personalised and equitable.
[2] The Ockenden Review into maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust examined 1600 cases over 20 years.
Jeremy Hunt argues for a no-fault compensation scheme to replace the expensive and prolonged legal processes currently used.
[5] The continuity of carer maternity model, introduced in 2016, which is aimed at improving care for patients from minority ethnic groups and those with other risk factors was suspended in more than 2/3 of hospital trusts in England in 2022 because of staffing shortages.
[7] However the procedure is often started without a thorough prior discussion with women or providing adequate information about the associated labour pain and potential risks.
It became an offence to "habitually and for gain, attend women in childbirth otherwise than under the direction of a qualified medical practitioner unless she be certified under this Act".
The 1911 Act provided for maternity benefit of thirty shillings for the wives of those who paid National Insurance Contributions building on the model of the friendly societies.
Women who do not have ordinarily resident status in the United Kingdom are liable for charges for maternity services of around £7000 or more if there are complications.
According to the campaign group Maternity Action charges are often laid against women who are not liable as the complexities of immigration law defeat NHS clerical staff.