The Recent Investigation into Maternity and Neonatal Services

Recent reporting on maternity services in the UK has brought to light significant systemic problems affecting women and families, with implications not only for physical healthcare but also for emotional wellbeing and mental health. A major independent investigation into maternity and neonatal services in England, led by Baroness Valerie Amos, published an interim report this month. This report revealed widespread issues including concealment of harmful incidents, poor communication with families, and inconsistent, sometimes discriminatory, care during and after childbirth. Many women and bereaved parents reported feeling dismissed, unheard, and traumatised by their interactions with maternity services.

From a counselling perspective, these findings are deeply concerning because clear, empathetic communication and emotional support are essential to positive outcomes during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. When families are not listened to or are denied transparent explanations after adverse outcomes, the distress can compound into longer-term psychological harm. Charities supporting bereaved families have emphasised that sharing experiences with care providers or inquiries can be emotionally painful, but also that feeling genuinely heard and respected is crucial for healing.

Counsellors working with perinatal clients often focus on themes of trust, safety, agency and validation, all of which can be undermined by systemic failures in maternity services. For example, when reports highlight that families were excluded from investigations or that healthcare staff sometimes made insensitive remarks, the risk of trauma, anxiety and lasting grief increases. This can lead to problems such as post-traumatic stress symptoms, difficulty bonding with a new-born, or fear of future pregnancies, all of which require sensitive, trauma-informed counselling approaches.

Additionally, research in the UK emphasises that perinatal mental health problems are common and often under-recognised, with suicide remaining a leading cause of death for new mothers in the first postpartum year. Recent initiatives and collaborations, including research missions to improve care for mothers from ethnic minority backgrounds, highlight the need for better support for severe mental illness during and after pregnancy.

A counselling lens also stresses the importance of person-centred care, where individual experiences of fear, loss, or mistrust are acknowledged rather than minimised. Calls from organisations like the National Childbirth Trust for maternity care that genuinely listens to women and connects seamlessly with mental health and social support services reflect this perspective, underlining how emotional support is integral to overall care quality.

The recent news on UK maternity services underlines that improvements must go beyond technical medical safety to encompass communication, empathy, psychological support, and respect for patient experience. Counselling can play a vital role in helping women and families navigate the emotional impact of their maternity journeys, especially where trust has been eroded. It often provides a safe space to feel heard and understood, somewhere to tell their story without judgement. Achieving a birth and postnatal care environment that supports both physical and emotional wellbeing is essential for healthy families and for restoring confidence in the maternity system. I personally am hopeful that changes can be made, encouraging parents to feel secure and understood in the care of others.