Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust has been identified as one of the NHS organisations to be reviewed as part of the national maternity investigation launched by the Department of Health and Social Care and led by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
We welcome this important review and fully support the plan to improve maternity care across the country. Our Trust is committed to working openly with the investigation team, and we see this as a valuable opportunity to reflect, learn, and contribute to national progress.
Diane Wake, Group Chief Executive said: “We serve a diverse and vibrant community, and we must provide safe, high-quality, and equitable care for all.
“We are listening to the voices of families and staff, and we remain dedicated to transparency and continuous improvement.
“We recognise some of the challenges that have placed us among the trusts that form part of this review and we apologise to anyone who has not had the quality of care that they should have received from us.”
Over the past year, the Trust has made significant strides in strengthening its maternity services. The move to Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in November 2024 has provided state-of-the-art facilities and supported a positive shift in culture, with enhanced staff engagement. A dedicated Retention and Recruitment Lead Midwife post has been introduced, and new midwives and support workers have been recruited, helping to improve care and reduce pressure on services.
“Our team strives to support birthing people and families through every step of their birth journey, offering compassionate care and guidance, in both their joy and for some during their unimaginable loss,” said Claire Macdiarmid, Interim Director of Midwifery.
“This review is about learning and improving. We are taking steps to address our challenges as we work closely with our community partners to reduce inequalities and improve outcomes for those using our services.
“We want to reassure our patients and families that services at Midland Met and our community sites continue as normal, and our teams remain focused on delivering safe, compassionate, and personalised care.”
The Trust continues to monitor perinatal mortality through the nationally mandated Perinatal Mortality Review Tool (PMRT), with reviews held twice monthly. Themes such as digital poverty, language barriers, and missed care are being actively addressed through targeted initiatives, including free SIM cards, device loan schemes, and enhanced interpreter access.
Further updates will be shared as appropriate, and we will continue to engage openly with our local communities throughout this process.
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National Maternity Investigation
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