England maternity commissioner role would be ‘fundamentally dangerous’, says campaigner
Emily Barley, founder of the Maternity Safety Alliance and a bereaved mother, warns that the Amos review's recommendation for a national maternity commissioner in England is 'fundamentally dangerous' and will not solve wider cultural problems. She calls for urgent overhaul of maternity triage services, more staff, independent investigations for families, and replacement of the NHS compensation system.
- Emily Barley, whose daughter Beatrice died due to failings at Barnsley hospital in 2022, says the commissioner role is 'not going to do what we need to move maternity safety forwar
- She argues maternity triage services need urgent overhaul with more staff to act on women's concerns quickly.
- Families should have the right to seek independent investigations if unhappy with hospital inquiries.
- The NHS compensation system for harmed and bereaved families is described as 'brutal' and 'cruel' and should be replaced.
Source: The Guardian