The safety watchdog has raised fresh concerns about NHS maternity services in a new review, warning that harm has been normalised within units that are working “in parallel” to trusts.
The Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) published an exploratory review of maternity and neonatal services today, based on work it has now paused while a national investigation, ordered by health secretary Wes Streeting, takes place.
The HSSIB review – intended to scope out areas to look at in more depth – was based on discussions with stakeholders and 35 cases where safety concerns were raised.
It found the clinical risks in maternity services were not always identified and responded to, with harm being “normalised” and sometimes being reported in a way that minimised life-threatening situations.
The harm caused was also compounded by the trusts’ action after the event, which was sometimes defensive and concerned about litigation and reputation management.
The safety watchdog was told maternity services have a “mini governance” and “work in parallel to report to the board”, resulting in less scrutiny. It also found they sometimes “feel like separate organisations”, and recommend this is explored in more detail nationally.
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Source: HSJ, 19 August 2025
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