You may have seen the news that there will be a National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. The findings of the investigation will be used to develop one set of national recommendations to drive improvements in maternity and neonatal services across England. The investigation will include 14 NHS trusts, including University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.
Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and the chair of the investigation, Baroness Valerie Amos, have agreed the terms of reference of the independent investigation, which will include understanding the lived experiences of families, reviewing the quality and safety of services, identifying the drivers and impact of inequalities, and identifying barriers to making improvements.
We welcome the investigation and will work openly with the investigation team – it is a valuable opportunity to reflect, learn, and contribute to national progress.
We want to reassure people using our maternity and neonatal services that the safety, wellbeing, and experience of women, babies and families is, and always will be, our highest priority.
Over the past two years our teams have made significant improvements – from strengthening how we listen to families, increasing the number of midwives and consultants, and enhancing facilities, through to investing in new technology and ways of working. These changes and wider ongoing improvement work are enhancing both the safety and quality of care.
We know there is more to do and there are some families who have not received the standard of care they deserved. To those families we are deeply sorry, and we remain committed to listening and working with you.
We are confident the national investigation will help us on our improvement journey, as well as enable us to contribute to national learning.
If you are ever worried about the care you are receiving, please contact your midwife or your named consultant in the first instance. We promise to listen to you and take your concerns seriously. If your concerns are not resolved or you wish to raise them to someone outside of the clinical team, you can contact:
- Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS): Visit us face-to-face at Leicester Royal Infirmary (Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm, Balmoral reception, near WHSmith), call our freephone 0808 178 8337, or email [email protected].
- The LLR Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) – while in transition between providers, feedback on maternity and neonatal services can be shared via email at [email protected] or by calling 0116 295 3405.
We will ensure any feedback you give is heard, recognised, and acted on.
Updates will be shared via our website, social media, and through community channels as more information becomes available.
Yours sincerely,
Julie Hogg, Chief Nurse
Andrew Furlong, Medical Director
Danni Burnett, Director of Midwifery and Deputy Chief Nurse
Jonathan Cusack, Consultant Neonatologist and Clinical Director, Women’s and Children’s