The Department of Health and Social Care has today announced that former diplomat Baroness Valerie Amos will Chair the rapid review of maternity and neonatal safety in England.
In response, Professor Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:
“Today’s announcement is an important step in the drive to improve maternity services. The challenge now is to ensure the review moves at pace, makes full use of existing evidence, and delivers the right support to families and the maternity workforce at the heart of the process.
“Up to 10 maternity and neonatal units will be chosen to inform the review. This will have considerable implications for the organisations involved – causing understandable concern among women and families preparing to give birth in these hospitals, and adding pressure to an already stretched workforce.
“While we recognise that there are many valid metrics for identifying Trusts for inclusion, each with its own merits and limitations, the chosen approach must be robust, transparent, and grounded in the most relevant, up-to-date data to identify the true outliers. It is equally important that appropriate support is provided to the selected Trusts and to the families accessing care – points we have consistently raised with the Government since the review was first announced.
“From the start, the College has urged that the review should learn not just from top performing Trusts but also from those that are on an upward trajectory, as this is where meaningful progress can be replicated. Engaging royal colleges, professional bodies, staff and women and families will also be essential.
“A fully transparent process is needed to maintain public confidence, ensure fairness, and strengthen maternity services. The College remains ready to work with the new Chair and expert advisors throughout this process to secure a safer service, a better-supported workforce, and improved outcomes for women and babies.”
The RCOG is committed to supporting high-quality maternity care for all women and pregnant people and is actively working to reduce inequalities affecting minority ethnic women and disadvantaged groups. The College delivers this through our role as an educator, developing the curriculum, producing clinical guidance, and supporting clinicians’ professional development through exams and training. The College was proud to co-lead the Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth programme, with the Royal College of Midwives, which was rolled out nationally from September 2025.
RCOG press office: pressoffice@rcog.org.uk T +44 (0) 7986 183167
Further information:
- Access the DHSC announcement here.
- RCOG responds to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care's plans to improve maternity care announced at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) World Congress available here.
- More information on the RCOG Maternity Safety programme is available here.
- Additional help and support is always available for our membership via our support services: https://www.rcog.org.uk/careers-and-training/workforce/supporting-our-doctors/wellbeing-resources-hub/