Maternity services are still failing women and babies despite reviews, says ombudsman

Lessons have not been learnt from major reviews into maternity services, and women and babies are still being put at risk, the parliamentary and health service ombudsman has warned.

The ombudsman’s office investigates complaints about government departments, other public organisations, and the NHS in England.

In a report1 published this week, the ombudsman said that since the 2015 investigation into maternity units run by the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust2 maternity services have had more policy recommendations than any other health area. “But there have still been major service failures in Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS …