'Concern for families across Harrogate and Knaresborough' highlighted by MP over new maternity care crisis
"With the maternity services at Leeds deemed inadequate, this is a very real concern for families across Harrogate and Knaresborough"
Harrogate MP Tom Gordon has branded the state of maternity care in England of “very real concern” after a new poll showed low public confidence in services.
"The state of maternity services in this country is a scandal,” said Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough .
“Soon-to-be mums birth should be thinking about meeting their babies, not worrying whether the system around her is safe.
"With the maternity services at Leeds deemed inadequate, this is a very real concern for families across Harrogate and Knaresborough."
The polling revealed that 75% of the public are concerned about hospital birth standards following recent poor safety inspection ratings in NHS maternity units.
The data was compiled by Savanta for the Liberal Democrats who claim that years of Conservative neglect and declining safety have left the public fearful about the conditions they will give birth in.
The Harrogate MP’s comments come at the same time as NHS bosses in England admitted that the way maternity care was organised was "not fit for purpose" with safety at risk, and warn 20 smaller units may have to close.
The NHS Alliance, which represents health managers, added that difficult decisions lay ahead and maternity services needed to be consolidated to support safer care.
The results of the new Savanta survey of 2,213 UK adults included:
75% of adults are concerned about maternity care standards in NHS hospitals, including 35% who are "very concerned" and 40% who are "fairly concerned". Just 15% expressed no concern.
Women are significantly more likely than men to fear for maternity safety (79% vs 72%), while men were twice as likely to say they were unconcerned (20% vs 11%).
Worry spans all age brackets, peaking among those aged 55 and over (78%) and those aged 35–54 (76%), alongside 71% of 16-to-34-year-olds.
The polling follows Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections between 2022 and 2023 which found that two-thirds of NHS maternity units in England were rated either ‘Requires Improvement’ (47%) or ‘Inadequate’ (18%) for safety.
Not a single maternity unit in the country achieved an ‘Outstanding’ rating for safety.
The Liberal Democrats are now demanding an emergency rescue package to deliver one-to-one midwifery for every mother and restore confidence for expectant parents.