Position Statement on Position Statement on National Assurance Assessment of Maternity & Neonatal Services

The report’s findings strongly reflect areas we have highlighted through our inspections and national work. These include persistent pressures on staffing and skill‑mix, variation in triage and induction processes, gaps in data quality, and the need for clearer national leadership, accountability and standards. The report also reiterates the importance of reliable, timely data to support effective monitoring and learning.

We note the evidence of compassionate care delivered by staff working under sustained pressure, alongside examples of effective community engagement and positive environments where women and families feel supported. The report reinforces how profoundly care experiences, both positive and negative, shape the emotional wellbeing of women and families.

The findings set out significant and ongoing challenges in key areas, including postnatal and mental health support, cultural safety, consistent involvement of partners, and robust processes for incident review and learning. These challenges are mirrored across the UK and reflect the complexity of delivering safe and effective maternity and neonatal care within a changing system and rising service demand.

HIW will carefully consider the report and its recommendations. We will assess how these inform and strengthen our approach to assurance, including how we inspect maternity and neonatal services and how we use intelligence to identify and respond to risk. 

We remain committed to working with Health Boards, Welsh Government, families and staff to support sustainable improvements in the quality and safety of care across Wales.