Record level of legal claims for maternity failings

Hundreds of women and babies have suffered harm and trauma in recent years, as a result of poor standards of NHS care in maternity units across the country.

Statistics show the potential total for claims since 2019 stands at £27.4billion – far exceeding the NHS budget for maternity care of around £18billion.

The claims represent a record level of legal actions against the NHS for its maternity services, and in 2023, a record number of nearly 1,400 families took legal action for maternity failings – a figure which has doubled since 2007.

The figures come at a time when maternity services throughout the NHS are in crisis, and Health Secretary Wes Streeting was recently forced to launch a rapid national investigation and taskforce to address the problems.

Individual areas of the country are also highlighted as having specific problems, with Mr Streeting granting a specific inquiry into nine baby deaths within University Hospitals Sussex following a campaign by bereaved parents, and police investigating care delivered in Nottingham.

Law firm Slater and Gordon supports families across the country after maternity failings, and is a passionate advocate for the need for change and improvement.

"The standards of care in maternity services throughout the NHS are often so poor that women and families are left with no choice but to pursue legal action,” says principal lawyer Nisha Sharma.

“In our experience, finding the answers over what went wrong in a case is a prime motivator in doing so, as all too often NHS Trusts are reluctant or unwilling to engage with families who have been through such trauma and devastation, and lawyers can help in that process.

"The sums involved are vast and truly shocking, but this is the price the NHS is unfortunately having to pay for not addressing the obvious and well-known failings that have existed for many years and are becoming worse. Without proper investment and a willingness to take decisive action, there are serious concerns that improvement will not happen."