Health and Social Care Select Committee Meeting – Safety of maternity services in England (29 September 2020)

Summary

This is a video recording of a formal meeting (oral evidence session) of the Health and Social Care Select Committee on Tuesday 29 September 2020, as part of their inquiry looking at the Safety of maternity services in England.

Content

Health and Social Care Select Committee

This is a cross-party body that is responsible for scrutinising the work of the Department of Health and Social Care and its associated public bodies in the UK. It is composed of MPs and examines government policy, spending and administration on behalf of the electorate and the House of Commons.[1]

Safety of maternity services in England

The Committee opened an inquiry into the Safety of maternity services in England on the 24 July 2020. The intention of this inquiry is to examine evidence relating to ongoing concerns around recurring failings in maternity services, with MPs considering whether clinical negligence and litigation processes need to be changed to improve the safety of maternity services, as well as the extent to which a “blame culture” affects medical advice and decision-making.[2]

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) - Tuesday 29 September 2020

In this video of the first oral evidence session of this inquiry, the Committee heard from:

• Michelle Hemmington, Co-founder at Campaign for Safer Births
• Dr Bill Kirkup, Chairman at Morecambe Bay maternity investigation and East Kent maternity investigation
• Professor Ted Baker, Chief Inspector of Hospitals at Care Quality Commission
• Professor Jacqueline Dunkley Bent, Chief Midwifery Office at NHS England and NHS Improvement
• Dr Matthew Jolly, National Clinical Director for Maternity and Women's Health at NHS England and NHS Improvement

References

1. UK Parliament, Health and Social Care Committee, Last Accessed 1 October 2020.
2. UK Parliament, Safety of Maternity Services in England, Last Accessed 1 October 2020.