Baroness Valerie Amos has today (Tuesday 30 June) published the findings of the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation. This includes an individual report for University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) and national recommendations designed to improve maternity and neonatal services across England. We accept the findings of our Trust report and are committed to helping to deliver the national recommendations.
Trusts involved were selected based on a range of factors including outcome metrics and patients’ experiences. The process was also designed to ensure a diverse mix of trusts, including variation in case mix, Trust type, geographic coverage and the provision of care to individuals from diverse backgrounds, including consideration of social, economic, and racial inequalities.
We know this is a significant moment and want to start by acknowledging that local people from our communities have shared the experiences at the heart of this report. The safety and wellbeing of women, birthing people, babies and families is, and always will be, our highest priority.
What the report says
UHL is responsible for around 10,000 births per year. Our individual report recognises the dedication of our colleagues, the commitment of our leadership teams and the ongoing improvements are making at UHL. But it also makes clear that families are not yet consistently experiencing the care they need and deserve.
Some of you told us your care felt inconsistent, that concerns were not always picked up quickly enough, and that you did not always feel heard or seen. We are deeply sorry for this. You trusted us at some of the most important and vulnerable moments in your lives, and we did not always get it right.
We are also sorry to those families who felt they were treated differently because of their ethnicity or cultural background, or who experienced discriminatory comments or behaviour. This should never happen. Discrimination in any form is unacceptable, and we are fully committed to addressing this, alongside continuing to improve cultural awareness so colleagues have the support and confidence to provide inclusive, person‑centred care.
The full report and national recommendations are available on the review’s official website.
Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and experiences; we recognise how difficult this was. Your voices are already shaping the changes we are making.
What we are doing differently
We are continuing to do everything we can to make sure that your experience of care is safe, respectful, clear, consistent and responsive.
Over recent years, our teams have made improvements, including strengthening how we listen to families, increasing the number of midwives and consultants, improving access through telephone triage, supporting real‑time monitoring of care using a new digital system called BadgerNet, and opening a new maternity theatre at the Leicester General Hospital.
We have made these changes to making care safer and reduce delays, but we know what matters most is how care feels when you need it. That is what we are focused on improving.
Baroness Amos states in the report that clear communication, being kept informed and having their preferences acknowledged, was repeatedly described as a key part of good care. Even when circumstances meant birth plans could not be followed exactly, women and families valued staff who took the time to understand their wishes and respond respectfully, and who explained things step by step and checked in regularly.
We aim to ensure every woman and family receives safe, personalised, and equitable care, and every family feels heard, respected and supported. We are committed to listening to women and families, particularly when things go wrong, and ensuring patient voices remain central to our ongoing improvement work.
As a result of your feedback, among other initiatives, we are creating more opportunities for you to raise concerns in real time, making sure senior staff are available earlier, supporting our teams to communicate more clearly and compassionately, improving access to interpreters and culturally appropriate care, and working with communities to better understand and address inequalities.
Some changes, like improving our buildings, will take longer, but we are committed to this for the long term, including plans for a new women’s and children’s hospital at the Leicester Royal Infirmary as part of the New Hospital Programme.
If you have concerns or need support
If you are ever worried about the care you are receiving, please speak to your midwife or named consultant. If you would prefer to speak to someone outside your clinical team, you can contact:
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
- Face‑to‑face at Leicester Royal Infirmary (Mon–Fri, 10am–3pm, Balmoral reception near WHSmith)
- Freephone: 0808 178 8337
- Email: [email protected]
Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP)
- Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
- Phone: 0116 257 5050
We will ensure any feedback you give is heard, recognised and acted on.
Moving forward together
We know this report marks an important milestone for our communities. We are committed to learning from what we have heard and making real, lasting changes.
We will keep sharing what we are doing and how things are improving.
If you are expecting a baby, we want to reassure you that we are here to listen, to support you, and to care for you safely and compassionately. It is a privilege to care for you, and we are determined to provide the standard of care you deserve.
Our learning will continue long after this review and we will continue to work closely with our partners across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, as well as regional and national bodies, to ensure that the voices of women, birthing people and families shape and continue to strengthen the services they use.
Julie Hogg, Chief Nurse
Gang Xu, Medical Director
Danni Burnett, Director of Midwifery and Deputy Chief Nurse
Jonathan Cusack, Consultant Neonatologist and Clinical Director, Women’s and Children’s