Around 20 maternity units may have to close to keep women and babies safe, NHS boss warns

Around 20 maternity units may have to close to keep women and babies safe, NHS boss warns Politicians must ‘grasp the nettle’ and make key decisions to keep services safe, NHS Alliance’s acute care director says - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Up to 20 maternity units may need to close in order to keep women and babies safe amid staff shortages, an NHS leader has warned. Services could be centralised into fewer hospitals in a move Matthew Hopkins, the NHS Alliance’s director for acute care, said was “the right thing to do,” but is likely to be politically unpopular. Speaking to The Guardian, Mr Hopkins said the current way maternity services are laid out is “not fit for purpose” and called on politicians to “grasp the nettle” and push for changes. He warned as many as 20 of England’s maternity units that are led by consultant obstetricians will need to shut or change their role. “We are calling for a thorough appraisal of maternity services and where they need to be located because the current configuration is not fit for purpose,” Mr Hopkins said. “Difficult decisions lie ahead, consolidating maternity services to support safer, more sustainable care. “If politicians … are keen to see safe maternity services in their area, it is going to need courage to grasp the nettle that needs to be grasped in order to improve maternity services.” He said smaller units that deliver around 1,500 to 2,000 babies per year are rapidly becoming unsustainable because of a widespread lack of obstetricians and soaring rates of women having either a planned or emergency caesarean section. Staffing is particularly difficult in rural and coastal areas, meaning they would be most affected by the changes. But the comments have been criticised by care providers including midwives, who insisted maternity care should remain close to people’s homes. “Women and families rely on local maternity units to be there when they need them, and we must ensure there are high-quality services close to home,” said Hannah Leonard, the chief policy officer of the Royal College of Midwives. England’s maternity services are under scrutiny after a damning review found hundreds of babies and mothers died or were harmed due to “deeply embedded” systemic failures and “cruel” care spanning more than a decade at hospitals in Nottingham. The Ockenden inquiry exposed more than 500 cases of potentially avoidable harm, including the care of mothers and babies in 94 stillbirths and 62 neonatal deaths. In February this year, a separate review found staff shortages, capacity issues, racism and discrimination and lack of accountability when things go wrong meant women and babies across the country were being failed in NHS maternity units. It also highlighted the poor condition of hospitals, with rooms usuable due to leaking roofs and fire hazards, leaving women forced to give birth in corridors. In one hospital women who needed an assisted vaginal delivery had to deliver their babies with the door of their room open due to a lack of space. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said maternity care is a “personal priority” for health secretary Yvette Cooper. “Through the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, that she is chairing, this government will deliver the reforms needed to ensure services meet the needs of women and families now and in the future,” they said. “In addition, we have invested £271 million since April 2025 to tackle critical safety risks in maternity and neonatal units, we are creating the first ever statutory maternity and neonatal commissioner, we are extending Martha’s Rule to maternity and neonatal wards in England, and we will publish a single, national action plan in December 2026, driving the long-term reforms we need to deliver safer and better care for all.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] 65 53 796 -7 SAITiHe 'OLE