National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce

The National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce will oversee improvements to NHS maternity and neonatal care in England for women, babies and families.

Objectives

The National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce is chaired by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The objectives are to:

  • develop a new national action plan based on the findings and recommendations from the independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation
  • hold the maternity and neonatal system to account for the implementation of the new national action plan and for achieving improvements in outcomes, experiences and reduction of inequalities for women, babies and families

The independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, chaired by Baroness Amos, plans to make recommendations in June 2026 based on evidence collected from families, staff and stakeholders across England as well as previous reports and recommendations.

The taskforce will take an evidence-based approach to developing an action plan that addresses these recommendations. It will also need to consider any further actions that support the government’s manifesto commitment to set an explicit target to close the Black and Asian maternal mortality gaps.

It will address recent developments in maternity and neonatal care, including recommendations from the:

An objective of the taskforce will be to ensure that actions translate into change. Following publication of the national action plan, the taskforce will:

  • monitor implementation of the plan
  • assess progress towards:
    • improved maternal and neonatal safety outcomes
    • improved experiences of women, babies and families
    • improved experiences of staff
    • reductions in inequalities
  • provide a direct route for raising challenge and escalating concerns with government around the care and support being provided to women, babies and families within the maternity and neonatal system
  • consider what further action is needed if progress is not as expected

The taskforce comprises experts and stakeholders from across the maternity and neonatal sector, and wider health sector. This includes families, clinicians, academics, royal colleges, those who can speak to health equity, and international expertise.

They will be supported by several expert reference groups. The chair of each expert reference group will sit on the taskforce to represent the group’s views.

Membership

The National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce members are:

  • Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (chair)
  • Baroness Merron, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women’s Health and Mental Health (deputy chair and chair of the regulators and investigatory bodies expert reference group)
  • Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England (senior responsible officer for maternity)
  • Helen Gittos, family representative (chair of one of the family expert reference groups)
  • Gary Andrews, family representative (chair of one of the family expert reference groups)
  • Cathy Brewster, family representative (chair of one of the family expert reference groups)
  • Habib Naqvi, Chief Executive of the NHS Race and Health Observatory (chair of the health equity expert reference group)
  • Lauren Caulfield, family representative (health equity expert reference group lived experience representative)
  • Nina Johns, consultant obstetrician and Clinical Director at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (co-chair of workforce, clinical and academic expert reference group)
  • Helen Cheyne, Professor of Maternal and Child Health Research at the University of Stirling (co-chair of workforce, clinical and academic expert reference group)
  • Avey Bhatia, Chief Nurse at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, co-lead on patient safety and clinical governance (senior health system representative)
  • Louise Stead, CEO of Ashford and St Peter’s and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trusts (senior health system representative)
  • Gill Walton, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives
  • Alison Wright, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
  • representative from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health or British Association of Perinatal Medicine (to be confirmed)
  • Clea Harmer, Chief Executive of Sands (chair of charity and third sector expert reference group)
  • Helene Normann, Senior Adviser and Chief Midwifery Officer at the Norwegian Directorate of Health (international expert)

Expert reference groups

The taskforce will be supported by 7 expert reference groups so that a wide breadth of voices can contribute to its work. These groups are currently being set up.

Family groups

There will be 3 groups representing families. These will comprise people who have lived experience of maternity and neonatal care, particularly (but not exclusively) those families who have experienced harm or bereavement.

Workforce, clinical and academic group

The workforce, clinical and academic group will comprise a representative spread of professions involved in the care of women, babies and families, including those directly providing care and those leading research.

Health equity group

The health equity group will comprise people who can speak to inequalities for:

  • Black and Asian women and babies
  • women with disabilities
  • Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities
  • women with other known risk factors for worse outcomes and experiences

This will span clinicians, charitable organisations, academics and people with lived experience. Two representatives from this group will sit on the taskforce: the chair and an additional family representative.

Charity and third sector group

This group will comprise charity and third sector organisations operating within the maternity and neonatal sector, who play a central role in supporting women, babies and families. It includes members with insights across advocacy, bereavement support, community outreach, and specialist areas, including violence against women and girls.

This group will also support the taskforce to hear seldom-heard voices through the organisations’ networks and community roots.

Regulators and investigatory bodies group

This group will include regulators and investigatory bodies operating within the maternity and neonatal sector who play a central role in ensuring accountability in care for women, babies, families and staff.

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