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Written question asked by Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 22 June 2026 (named day). A holding answer was provided on Tuesday, 23 June 2026. A substantive answer was provided by Preet Kaur Gill (Labour) on Sunday, 12 July 2026 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Maternity Services: Reviews

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many major reviews into NHS maternity services have been undertaken since 2000.

Answer

There have been six widely recognised major reviews into National Health Service maternity services since 2000, with the caveat that there is no definition of "major review”, which are as follows:

- the Morecambe Bay Investigation led by Bill Kirkup in 2015;

- National Maternity Review ("Better Births") led by Julia Cumberlege, 2015/16;

- the independent review of maternity services at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, led by Donna Ockenden, 2017 to 2022;

- East Kent Investigation ("Reading the Signals") led by Bill Kirkup, 2020 to 2022;

- Nottingham Maternity Review led by Donna Ockenden, 2022 to present; and

- the independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, led by Baroness Amos, 2025 to present.

There have also been two further reviews commissioned by the Government, which will be chaired by Donna Ockenden and underway this year:

- the independent review into maternity and neonatal care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; and

- the independent review into maternity and neonatal services at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
10962
Session
2026-27
Related items
Subjects
Maternity services Reviews
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk