A clear set of actions is needed to improve NHS maternity services | Letters
This inquiry (Wes Streeting announces investigation into ‘failing’ NHS maternity services, 23 June) needs to get to the heart of why NHS maternity services in England are falling far short of where they need to be.It must leave no stone unturned; there are significant, systemic challenges that affect trusts’ ability to consistently deliver high-quality care, deep-rooted issues with morale and culture within maternity services and, as you highlight (Editorial, 23 June), the “shockingly higher risk of mortality faced by black and Asian mothers” and those from more deprived backgrounds.There have been innumerable recommendations and a regulatory landscape that has become complex, distracting and difficult for trusts to navigate.Trust leaders will welcome proposals to introduce one clear set of actions to improve care across every NHS maternity service.Saffron CorderyDeputy chief executive, NHS Providers After a number of years overseeing maternity and perinatal services at regional level, this proposal frustrates me.
The inquiry is purely politically motivated and will not add any value to the women, babies and families affected previously or who may be in the future.Multiple strategic transformation programmes have been commissioned and funded.There is nothing new to discover; obstetricians focus on healthy babies, midwives focus on happy mothers.The medical v social models of care make this an impossible divide, not helped by either group frequently failing to listen and respond effectively to women’s concerns.Perhaps when there are sufficient staff to work together as a team, and we place the woman at the centre of care and an effective digital infrastructure is in place to support effective communication, instead of focusing on the either/or approach of “high risk” v “low risk”, we might get somewhere.
Ann PearsonGatley, Cheshire We do not need another review of failing maternity services,The national service development funding (SDF) for maternity services will be cut from £95m in 2024-25 to just £2m in 2025-26,The patriarchy rules and as a consequence misogyny sets the tone for maternity care,Why else would there be gynaecology beds for women experiencing miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or termination on a postnatal ward?Zoe GreenLondon Although failures in maternity care are of great concern, rather than simply chasing after the evidence of what failures look like and castigating those accused of “passing the buck”, perhaps Wes Streeting should also look at the 10 best performing units to find out what they do and how they achieve success,That might prove informative and more inspirational than (once again) punishing those that fail.
Simon GibbsEmeritus professor of inclusive educational psychology and philosophy, Newcastle University Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section,
England fall to heaviest T20 defeat as Mandhana century sparks India rout
England’s one-sided series against West Indies last month was merely a dress rehearsal: India was always going to be the main show. And so the curtain finally went up on the Charlotte Edwards-Nat Sciver-Brunt era for a Trent Bridge Saturday matinee.The audience, though, went home disappointed after witnessing an England performance akin to The Play That Goes Wrong, bowled out for 113 inside 15 overs, to hand India a 97-run win, England’s heaviest T20 defeat in terms of runs.Edwards’s calling-card has been about transforming England into a side that plays smart cricket and find ways to win. With the honourable exception of Sciver-Brunt – whose 66 from 42 balls was the only contribution of note – this performance failed on both counts
F1: Lando Norris on pole for Austrian GP with Max Verstappen down in seventh – as it happened
Well deserved! The McLaren driver has been dominant all weekend and finishes in style – half a second faster than Leclerc with a time of 1:03.971. It is his first pole in Austria!Giles Richards was at the Red Bull Ring and here is his verdict:For Norris this was just the result he required after his title hopes took a battering when he made the misjudged move against Piastri in Montreal, dropping him to 22 points behind the Australian.At the Red Bull Ring this weekend Norris had insisted his error in Canada had ultimately resulted in a positive outcome, that he and the team emerged stronger now the seemingly unavoidable clash had finally happened.Certainly Norris looked enormously comfortable in qualifying, which has been his achilles heel this season
Lando Norris storms to Austrian F1 GP pole as angry Verstappen slumps to seventh
Lando Norris enjoyed the stirring satisfaction of proving he still has skin in the game in the most emphatic fashion, taking pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix by more than half a second here on Saturday. His show of reinvigorated strength could not have sat in starker contrast than with the frustration and disappointment of Max Verstappen, whose seventh place in what he called an “undriveable” car will only have fuelled speculation about the defending world champion leaving Red Bull.That was addressed by the Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, after qualifying. “It’s a lot of noise, I think Max gets quite annoyed by it,” he said. “We’re very clear with the contract that we have with Max until 2028
Tomos Williams injury leaves Farrell’s Lions facing race to fill scrum-half slot
The British & Irish Lions are weighing up their scrum-half options after an injury to Tomos Williams that threatens to sideline the Welshman at the busiest stage of the squad’s Australian tour.The head coach, Andy Farrell, said a decision on calling up a replacement would be made on Sunday, with Scotland’s Ben White among the leading contenders to replace Williams at No 9.Williams contributed two tries in a fine all-round performance as the Lions eased to a 54-7 victory over Western Force but tweaked his left hamstring while diving over the line for his second score. It leaves the Lions with only two fit scrum-halves, one of whom – Jamison Gibson-Park – has been managing a strained glute muscle.Farrell said Gibson-Park would be fit to face the Queensland Reds on Wednesday but the Lions will need some cover if Williams is ruled out even for a short period, with Alex Mitchell as the only available option in the position
Western Force 7-54 British & Irish Lions: rugby union – as it happened
Robert Kitson’s match report in PerthThanks for your company, join us again later in the week for the next Lions fixture v Queensland RedsRobert Kitson’s match report in PerthAndy Farrell has some reflections“In some respects the intensity went up, but this is still a newish team and our discipline in first half was an issue. Second half our defence intensity increased and discipline improved. The Force took it to us, they played a tough high percentage game and we kept them in a good position through our poor discipline so made it tough for ourselves.“This was a lot of the lads’ first game, so we’re up and running and we’ll keep pushing it forward. There were some fantastic tries, but the play of the day was Mack Hansen going up and down the field [to set up Mitchell try]
Lions cut loose with eight-try win over Western Force for solid start in Australia
A convincing first tour win for the British & Irish Lions in Australia and plenty for the management to ponder. There was much to admire in the way the Lions unzipped a gallant but outgunned Western Force side, not least the playmaking vision of their fly-half Finn Russell and the youthful energy of Henry Pollock, but this eight-try triumph did come with one uncomfortable caveat.The scrum-half Tomos Williams, one of only two Welshmen on the tour, contributed a pair of tries but was left clutching his left hamstring after completing a brilliant team score in the right corner. With the Lions facing a hectic series of fixtures in the coming fortnight, they may well have to whistle up some emergency cover.The first-half penalty count was also too high but, for the most part, this performance will have alerted the Wallabies to the Lions’ counterattacking potential and collective depth
A clear set of actions is needed to improve NHS maternity services | Letters
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