Baroness Amos Maternity & Neonatal Report

An open letter to our community

Following the publication of the Baroness Amos maternity and neonatal report, we want to respond directly to the experiences shared by local women, families and staff who contributed to this important work.

As we take time to fully reflect on Baroness Amos’ recommendations and the wider learning for our maternity and neonatal services, we want to address the concerns raised relating directly to our organisation.

We want to begin by saying we are deeply sorry.

We are sorry to the women, babies and families whose experiences of our maternity and neonatal services did not meet the standards they have the right to expect. The report highlights areas where our care fell short, and we recognise the lasting and profound impact this has had on those affected.

We are grateful to Baroness Amos, her team, the families, patients, and our staff who shared their experiences openly and honestly. Their voices are vital in helping us understand where we must improve, and they will remain central to our response.

We are particularly appalled by the accounts of racism and discrimination described within the report. It is unacceptable that any woman or family felt they were not listened to, respected or treated fairly because of who they are or where they come from. Serving a diverse community is a privilege, and we know that we must do more to ensure that every person receives safe, respectful, and equitable care.

While the move to our new hospital has improved the physical environment for women and families, we recognise that buildings alone do not change culture. The report is clear that deeper cultural and organisational issues must be addressed, and we accept that responsibility.

Our focus now is on rebuilding trust through our actions, some of which are detailed below:

• We have made changes to the senior leadership within our maternity services, with a new Director of Midwifery and Head of Midwifery now in place.
• We have introduced a zero tolerance approach strong action to discrimination of any kind and will not hesitate to take action where we find it. We want all women and families to feel listened to, respected, and supported, and staff to feel confident to speak up and be heard.
• We have recruited 25 additional midwives resulting in a 12% increase in our midwifery workforce, helping to strengthen staffing levels and support safer care.
• Over 80% of women are now seen within 15 minutes of arriving at our hospital. with a clear plan to reach and sustain the national target of 90% by July.
• We are working more closely with our local communities to help every family get the care they need from our maternity services, including the importance of contacting us as early as possible in pregnancy so we can provide the right support from the very beginning.
• We have also opened a dedicated induction of labour suite for women who need support when labour doesn’t start naturally. It’s been designed to provide a calm, comfortable environment where families can feel supported through that process.

However, we are clear that there is more to do.

We are determined to learn from this report and act on local recommendations and make lasting change.

Finally, if you are an expectant mother in Sandwell and West Birmingham, hearing all this and wondering what you can expect from your local hospital, I want to reassure you that we are here to listen, to support you and to ensure you receive safe, compassionate care every day you spend with us. It is our privilege to care for you during one of the most important times in your life. You are also very welcome to visit our maternity department at one of our open days, where you can meet our midwives and see the environment for yourself – helping you feel reassured, informed, and familiar with your care.

Please get in touch.

We genuinely wish to engage with families more so that we can learn and improve further, and we are exploring more ways to do this better. If you would like to get in touch with us, please do so via the following email address: swbh.maternitylistening@nhs.net  and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

We will continue to be open about the actions we are taking and about the progress we are making.

Thank you

Diane Wake
Group Chief Executive
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust