Miscarriage shouldn't be left out of maternity care reform, Yorkshire-based charity warns
Wakefield-based Miscarriage UK welcome new maternity review but warn it is a “missed opportunity”
The chief executive of Miscarriage UK has warned that a new maternity report which outlines failures in care is a “missed opportunity” to support those impacted by pregnancy loss.
The “rapid review” into maternity care, led by Baroness Valerie Amos, calls for urgent change to the way women and families are treated, including when they phone in with concerns during pregnancy and labour.
Lady Amos said families should have the right to an independent investigation of their care when things go wrong and they do not agree with the findings of internal NHS reviews.
Her damning report concluded families have suffered from repeated failures in NHS care. Overall, the report found services were not designed to ensure consistent safety, resulting in “avoidable harm and lifelong trauma” and a “lack of accountability from trusts when things had gone wrong”.
While Vicki Robinson, chief executive of Wakefield-based Miscarriage UK, welcomed the findings she also warned miscarriage should not sit outside those conversations.
She said: “We welcome today’s review and recognise the deeply distressing experiences shared by women and families, alongside the significant concerns it raises around safety, inequalities, racism and a system that too often leaves people feeling unheard.
”Many of the themes highlighted within the report - fragmented care, poor communication and people not feeling listened to - strongly resonate with what we continue to hear from people affected by miscarriage and pregnancy loss.
“However, this also feels like a missed opportunity to fully consider the whole range of pregnancy and maternity experiences.
“While there are limited direct references to miscarriage and pre-24-week pregnancy loss, miscarriage affects more than one in five pregnancies and should not continue to sit outside conversations about improving care.”
The charity warned that its recent State of the Nation research found people experience inadequate follow-up care following pregnancy loss.
Mrs Robinson added: ”As the Government develops its National Action Plan, we want to see the experiences and needs of those affected by miscarriage and early pregnancy loss meaningfully recognised and reflected, ensuring our community no longer slips through the cracks between early pregnancy and maternity care.
“As the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce develops the new National Action Plan, Miscarriage UK is calling for the experiences and needs of those affected by pre-24-week pregnancy loss to be meaningfully reflected, including improved access to specialist early pregnancy care, stronger follow-up and mental health support, compassionate communication and a better understanding of pregnancy loss experiences.”
The Government responded by agreeing to Lady Amos’ key request – for a national commissioner to provide independent leadership to hold the system to account. The Department of Health will also publish a national action plan on maternity in December.
The Maternity Safety Alliance, which includes bereaved families, said there is still a need for a statutory public inquiry and the recommendation for a maternity commissioner is “fundamentally dangerous”, with that person not being “meaningfully independent”.