Every October, thousands of families across the UK light candles in memory of babies they never got to know. Baby Loss Awareness Week, now in its 22nd year, is a time for reflection, remembrance, and renewed determination to prevent such heartbreak in the future.
For many parents, it is a chance to share their experiences and find comfort in community.
It is also a moment for government and health leaders to confront the systemic failings that continue to put mothers and babies at risk.
While most births in England are safe, major reviews such as Shrewsbury and Telford, East Kent, Morecambe Bay, and Nottingham have revealed deeply troubling patterns. Women’s concerns about their own health or their baby’s wellbeing were often ignored.
A defensive culture hid mistakes instead of learning from them, while strained relationships between midwives, doctors, and managers undermined teamwork.
Chronic understaffing and inconsistent safety practices left families vulnerable to avoidable harm.
Black women remain almost four times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than white women, and babies from Black and Asian families face higher risks of stillbirth.
These failings have eroded public trust and caused immense grief. Recent figures reported in Bedford Today by Medical Negligence Assist show that since 2020, Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust has paid over £20 million in birth injury claims.
Maternity services in Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes continue to face challenges, with the CQC rating them inadequate earlier this year. I’ve long called on successive Governments to prioritise improvement.
Read: Mohammad Yasin MP presses minister on Bedford Hospital maternity downgrade in Parliament
A recent public health review at BLMK found that while maternal and infant deaths remain rare, mortality rates in the area are persistently higher than average.
Recommendations being implemented
Seventeen key findings and thirty-four recommendations are being implemented through the Local Maternity and Neonatal System action plan as part of a wider strategy led by the Integrated Care System.
To improve accessibility, Bedford Hospital’s community maternity services will move from Kings House to new sites at Queens Park and Pine Cones Family Hubs, offering seven-day services, private consultation rooms, and better parking.
The BLMK ICB is due to merge with Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Peterborough within the next 18 months aiming to streamline oversight but raising concerns over staff reductions and service risks.
The National Maternity Investigation, launched in June and led by Baroness Valerie Amos, is examining maternity and neonatal services across England, focusing on trusts where serious concerns exist.
Although Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust is not included in the 14 chosen Trusts to investigate further, many local issues reflect wider systemic failings.
National taskforce to drive long-term reform and accountability
The Amos Report will unify findings from past inquiries to create national actions for safe, high-quality, compassionate care. A National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce will drive long-term reform and accountability.
The Three-Year Delivery Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Services focuses on listening to families, supporting staff, embedding safety, and
strengthening standards. Support for bereaved parents is also expanding.
Families can now apply for certificates formally recognising their loss, the Employment Rights Bill will grant protected bereavement leave for babies lost before 24 weeks, and specialist Maternal Mental Health Services provide essential psychological support.
As we mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, we remember babies who, with better care, may still be here and renew our commitment to ensuring every woman and baby receives the safe, kind, and respectful care they deserve.
This is a monthly guest column provided by
Mohammad Yasin, Labour MP for Bedford & Kempston.
It is published unedited and does not
reflect the views of the Bedford Independent.
