Yeovil District Hospital named in the national review of maternity care
Baroness Amos has been tasked to lead the investigation - with bereaved families at the heart of the work
Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will be examined in a national investigation into "failures" in NHS maternity and neonatal services have been named.
Baroness Amos has been tasked to lead the investigation - with bereaved families at the heart of the work - to drive improvements after systemic problems in England's maternity and neonatal care dating back more than 15 years.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said bereaved families had shown "extraordinary courage" in coming forward, adding: "What they have experienced is devastating and their strength will help protect other families from enduring what they have been through.
"I know that NHS maternity and neonatal workers want the best for these mothers and babies, and that the vast majority of births are safe and without incident, but I cannot turn a blind eye to failures in the system.
"Every single preventable tragedy is one too many. Harmed and bereaved families will be right at the heart of this investigation to ensure no-one has to suffer like this again."
A range of services are to be put under the spotlight in the investigation which comes after various independent reviews across multiple trusts found failings including women's voices being ignored, safety concerns overlooked and poor leadership which has created toxic cultures.
Health bodies called for support and transparency, saying there may be real anxiety among women, families and staff at the 14 selected trusts across the country.
In response to Yeovil District Hospital being named in the national review of maternity care, Adam Dance, Liberal Democrat MP for Yeovil said: “Families in Somerset will understandably be concerned to see Yeovil District Hospital included in this national review of maternity care.
"It is vital that the voices of parents and staff are fully heard, and that lessons are finally acted upon.
“I am pleased that the Health Secretary has listened to the concerns I and others have raised, and that Yeovil has been included in this review.
"This shows just how serious the challenges are, but it also underlines the need for trust management to be open and transparent with the community.
"I welcome the recent commitment to reopen Yeovil’s maternity unit, but families still need clear timelines and stronger communication to rebuild confidence.
“Expectant parents deserve to know that services will be safe, compassionate and reliable when they return. My priority is making sure that happens, and I will continue to hold the Trust and Government to account until it does.”
Baroness Amos, who is to make national recommendations for improvements, said "it is vital" that the experiences of mothers and affected families are at the heart of the investigation from its "very beginning" and are "fully heard".
Bereaved mother Emily Barley, whose baby daughter Beatrice died in 2022, called for a public inquiry.
"We feel really, really let down," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"What we're asking for is for the investigation in this format to be scrapped and for us to have a statutory public inquiry, which is the only way for us to get into all the issues in all their detail and complexity."
Baroness Amos told the programme: "I want to make sure that the systems and processes are in place that enable the families to get the justice that they want and that they deserve.