The results of a parliamentary investigation into birth trauma revealed “shockingly poor quality” maternity care, leading to inhumane treatment and a culture in which “poor care is all too frequently tolerated as normal”.
The press broke the story first, and the report of the inquiry is scheduled to be issued later this morning.
The research also revealed that hospitals covered up mistakes and “frustrated parents’ efforts to find answers” by treating women “like an inconvenience.”
The health secretary, Victoria Atkins, described the experiences detailed in the study as “harrowing”.
According to the press, the investigation discovered that new women had been chastised by midwives, abandoned on blood-soaked sheets for hours, or, in one instance, written off as a “anxious mother” when their kid died later from issues she had warned about.
A new maternity commissioner who will answer to the prime minister is recommended in the study.
