Birth trauma solicitors summarise the conclusions of the All-Party Parliamentary Group’s report (APPG) on birth trauma.
The APPG birth trauma inquiry was set up with the aim of stimulating public discussion on how maternity services in the United Kingdom can be improved. The group’s key conclusion is the need to introduce a base standard in maternity services, with maternity strategy being unified and, hosted on the UK government website.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Birth Trauma has therefore called upon the Government to publish a National Maternity Improvement Strategy. This, they say, should be led by a new Maternity Commissioner who will report to the Prime Minister.
The top priorities will be:
- Recruiting, training, and retaining more midwives, obstetricians, and anaesthetists.
- Providing universal access to specialist maternal mental health services.
- Offering mothers a separate 6-week check post-delivery with a GP.
- Implementing the OASI (obstetric and anal sphincter injury) care bundle.
- Implementing standardised post-birth services to give mothers a ‘safe space’ to speak about their experiences in childbirth.
- Ensuring better education for women on birth choices to ensure informed consent.
- Respecting mothers’ choices about giving birth, accessing pain relief, and keeping them together with their baby as much as possible.
- Providing support for fathers and ensuring nominated birth partners are kept informed during labour and post-delivery.
- Providing better continuity of care and digitising mother’s health records to improve communication between primary and secondary health care pathways.
- Extending the time limit for medical negligence litigation relating to childbirth from three years to five years.
- Tackling inequalities in maternity care among ethnic minorities.
- Researching the economic impact of birth trauma and injuries,
This list underlines the lack of investment there has been in maternity care and after-care. And the fact that top of the list is the need to recruit, train and retrain more midwives, obstetricians, and anaesthetists, is particularly relevant.
Caroline Webber-Brown, a solicitor specialising in birth trauma claims, commented:
“As a senior lawyer specialising in birth trauma cases, I strongly support the conclusions of the All-Party Parliamentary Group’s report on birth trauma. The focus on informed consent, respect for mothers’ choices, and better education on birth options empowers women during childbirth. These measures will give women the knowledge and confidence to make decisions that are best for their health and well-being. It is also refreshing to read the recommendation that support is to be provided for birth partners, ensuring they are informed during labour and post-delivery also contributes to a more supportive birthing environment. Another significant positive is the recommendation to extend the time limit for medical negligence litigation from three to five years which will enhance accountability and provide families with a fairer timeframe to seek justice.”
Time will tell as to how many of these recommendations will be implemented, but the starting point must be having enough trained maternity staff to ensure that safety standards are met in the NHS.