North Shropshire MP calls on government to do more to reduce 'avoidable' baby deaths

Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, during Baby Loss Awareness Week, North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan called for "nationwide action" into reducing "avoidable baby deaths".

She highlighted the “horrific experiences of women at their most vulnerable”.

"Many of my constituents have suffered the loss of a baby at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust, and the Ockenden report in to the systemic failings there revealed that many women, indeed whole families in Shropshire and the surrounding area, suffered a devastating loss that was avoidable," she said.

She said a year on from parliament debating the report by Donna Ockenden into baby deaths at the trust, more needed to be done.

"The avoidable death of a baby is something we should be working to eliminate," Mrs Morgan continued. "Each time a scandal emerges we promise ourselves it will be the last time, but tragically, so far ,that has not been the case. It does seem far from a localised issue, maternity services have been experiencing a crisis nationally."

The Liberal Democrat MP added that "avoidable losses" occurred as a result of care not in line with NICE guidelines.

And she added that the "government is not on track of halving still births" despite its pledge following the release of the Ockenden report.

She added that research "was key" but said: "Relatively, little is invested, just 1 pence in every £1 spent on the NHS goes on maternity research."

She asked if the government to ensure that "staffing levels are safe and no-one leaves hospital with empty arms and a broken heart."

In the debate, held 18 months after the release of the Ockenden report, Ms Morgan also highlighted the “horrific experiences of women at their most vulnerable” and praised the campaigning of her constituents Kayleigh and Colin Griffiths.

Kayleigh and Colin’s daughter Pippa, who died just one day after being born, was among 201 babies that the Ockenden review found could have survived had better care been provided in Shropshire.

The MP is supporting Kayleigh and Colin, and fellow campaigners Rhiannon Davies and Richard Stanton, in calling for a national inquiry into maternity services to prevent scandals like Shropshire’s from being repeated.

Ms Morgan added: “I am pleased that improvements have been made in Shropshire but it is clear that much more needs to be done to improve maternity care up and down the country.

“Too many families have suffered losses that could have been avoided. The Government must listen to their voices and invest to make sure that staffing levels are safe.

“So far it has been bereaved parents who have led the campaign for improving maternity care. It should not be down to them. Proper staffing levels and proper procedures must be put in place to stop scandals like Shropshire’s from ever happening again.”

The MP, who is the co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Baby Loss, noted that the cost of harm from clinical negligence caused by NHS maternity services was £8.2 billion in 2021-22 which is double what the health service spends on maternity care.

Earlier, the MP also contributed to a debate on birth trauma where she shared her own powerful story of giving birth.