Ockenden Report: Safe staffing and accountability among 'must-do' improvements
The Ockenden report has raised 15 areas for "immediate and essential action" to improve care and safety in maternity services across England.
An inquiry into the Shropshire maternity scandal found at least 201 babies and nine mothers could have been saved if Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust (SaTH) had provided better care.
Areas such as safe staffing, escalation and accountability, clinical governance and robust support for families have all been included as "must dos" by maternity expert Donna Ockenden in the 234-page document.
SaTH - which has issued a 'wholehearted apology' to families - has also been handed 60 local actions for learning, in light of care received by 1,486 families.
The report said maternity and neonatal services in England require a multi-year settlement from NHS England "to ensure the workforce is enable to deliver consistently safe" care.
It also stated staffing levels across maternity services should be escalated to senior management when the agreed levels are not achieved. Staff being able to escalate concerns and incident investigations being meaningful for families have both been described as essential action that needs to be taken across the country.
