RCOG President calls for the national report to mark the turning point, moving from investigation to action, backed by significant government investment.
Today (Tuesday 30 June 2026) the RCOG responded to the final report from the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, chaired by Baroness Amos.
Dr Alison Wright, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:
“I welcome the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation report, which is an important analysis of what must change in maternity services in England. Every woman and family deserves safe, compassionate care, and my heart goes out to all the families whose babies or loved ones have died, been harmed or been traumatised by maternity and neonatal systems. We owe it to them to ensure this is a turning point.
“I also welcome Baroness Amos’ recognition that maternity services are under huge pressure. The pressures do not in any way lessen our responsibility for, nor commitment to, providing safe, equitable, personalised and compassionate care, but they do make it absolutely clear why urgent system-wide action is needed.
“Workloads have risen dramatically, there are staffing gaps on almost every rota in the country, too little time is protected for training, and maternity services have woefully inadequate theatre buildings and equipment. These all have serious consequences for the care women and families are receiving, and for the doctors who are striving to provide safe, compassionate care.
“Today must be the turning point, at which reports and recommendations become action. We must see the whole system working together to deliver on a clear action plan for positive change, with close collaboration between maternity professionals, families and governments. Where racism, unacceptable behaviours, poor communication or harmful cultures exist, we must be resolute in tackling these.
“To deliver the positive difference we are all calling for, the government must commit to ring fenced, sustained funding, to build maternity services that women and families can trust, and staff can be proud to work in.”
Jane Plumb, Chair of the RCOG Women’s Network, said:
“The voices of women, birthing people and families need to be right at the heart of how maternity and neonatal services change from here.
“That means listening carefully to people’s experiences - when they felt safe, heard, respected, involved in decisions and able to make informed choices - and also when things have gone wrong, including where families have been harmed or bereaved.
“Clinicians want to provide safe high-quality care and families need to know their voices lead to real change. Bringing these together is how we get to what matters most: safer, kinder care and better outcomes for women, birthing people, their babies and their families.”
The College contributed to the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation through evidence-based submissions, clinician and women-centred roundtables with Baroness Amos' team, and by encouraging members to engage with the call for evidence.
The RCOG President is a member of the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, and the College is committed to supporting the development, and implementation, of a national action plan in response to the Amos report recommendations.
The action plan must be shaped by women, birthing people and families, including those who have experienced harm, loss, poor communication or not being listened to, together with the maternity profession, with a shared purpose of ensuring every woman and every baby receives high quality, safe, personalised and compassionate care.
Notes to editor
The RCOG supports the delivery of safe, high-quality maternity care through education, clinical guidelines, research, and advocacy. The College’s maternity safety programme encompasses our role as an educator developing the curriculum; supporting the career development of clinicians through exams, courses and events; and raising standards of care through the development of clinical guidance.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) is a medical charity that champions the provision of high-quality women’s healthcare in the UK and beyond. It is dedicated to encouraging the study and advancing the science and practice of obstetrics and gynaecology. It does this through postgraduate medical education and training and the publication of clinical guidelines and reports on aspects of the specialty and service provision. For more information visit: www.rcog.org.uk
- Read the RCOG maternity safety policy position
- RCOG Maternity Safety programme, available here.
- Find out more about RCOG membership advice and support service information
- RCOG Supporting our doctors
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