By Meg Martin (MSc Health Policy, Planning & Financing, 2026)

The final report of Baroness Amos’s National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, published on 30 June 2026, brought renewed scrutiny to failings in England’s maternity and neonatal services.

Based on the accounts of women, birthing people, families, and healthcare staff, the investigation exposed the extent to which women’s concerns are routinely dismissed. It also revealed how racism and discrimination are embedded across the system and should be treated as critical safety issues. For MARCH Centre researchers, these findings reinforce the urgency of turning evidence into improvements in care. 

Which of Baroness Amos’s findings reinforce trends that have emerged from your own research? 

The testimony featured in the report reflects women’s and families’ experiences of routinely feeling ignored, dismissed, or not believed when raising concerns about their own or their baby’s deteriorating condition. It has also revealed systemic racism and inter-professional tribalism, or a toxic dynamic in which divisions and mistrust between healthcare professions undermine collaboration. These problems are compounded by substandard facilities and severe pressures on capacity and staffing.  

These findings echo patterns we have observed in our own research, which shows that ethnic minority women face inequality in maternity care and worse health outcomes. But there is hope in the fact that we now have a reference point that documents the experiences of thousands of women and birthing people, their families, and healthcare staff. 

Does your research on access to emergency obstetric care provide any lessons for England’s maternity services?  

In my work across sub-Saharan Africa and other low-resource settings, I have seen that the barriers women face are not always what we anticipate. Research in cities such as Lagos, Nigeria, found that women residing in the outskirts faced greater difficulties travelling to hospitals to give birth than those travelling in from rural areas. Where women live makes a substantial difference to how easily they can reach care. 

The lesson is to listen directly to women using the maternity services. This is particularly relevant to maternity triage in England, where the Amos Review found that women's concerns were frequently dismissed. 

How is MARCH Centre research addressing the report’s recommendations on access, equity and quality of care? 

MARCH Centre members lead and contribute to a wide range of research at LSHTM that helps us understand and address maternity disparities. 

Our contribution to the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA), which examines maternity care and outcomes across England, Scotland and Wales, is one example. My colleague Dr Ipek Gurol-Urganci is a senior methodologist for the audit. Research using these data includes a study published in The Lancet that documents differences in pregnancy outcomes for women from different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. 

We also work on inequalities in maternity care for disabled women. Research undertaken with LSHTM Professor Hannah Kuper and colleagues, including a 2025 report published by LSHTM and the Missing Billion Initiative, highlighted disparities in access, experiences and outcomes, as well as significant gaps in evidence and policy guidance.  

LSHTM is also part of the £50 million NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium (‘Consortium’), bringing together researchers, healthcare professionals and communities to generate evidence and develop solutions to maternity inequalities. 

MARCH Centre members contribute expertise across the Consortium. Professor Cally Tann and Dr Sarah Moxon co-lead its neonatal and longer-term child and family outcomes theme. Dr Ipek Gurol-Urganci and Professor Luke Vale lead its digital, economics, data linkage and analytics (DELTA) workstream, while I lead capacity development. 

Where do you see the biggest evidence gaps that MARCH researchers can help address? 

Engagement with government was built into the NIHR’s Maternity Disparities Consortium design from the start to ensure our research addresses the government’s evidence gaps and priorities. 

One important gap is understanding which digital approaches can improve care and reduce maternity disparities. Through LSHTM’s partnership with NIHR’s Maternity Disparities Consortium, we hope to develop a framework to guide the design and piloting of digital interventions that respond to the inequalities women report. The Consortium is also exploring digital and AI-supported translation tools for women facing language barriers when accessing care.  

Understanding women’s experiences of accessing care before pregnancy is another gap we need to address to align with the Amos report’s Modern Service Framework. Preconception care, for example, can be particularly important for women with conditions such as sickle cell disease or thalassaemia, who may face increased risks during pregnancy and childbirth. Over the next five years, we plan to share emerging findings through regular discussions and reports. 

What opportunities does the Consortium offer to turn research into impact? 

We need more leaders with the skills to turn evidence into service improvements. The Consortium’s capacity development opportunities extend beyond academia to NHS staff and digital professionals, coalescing research, clinical, and digital expertise. 

Our priority is to make the most of this investment by offering routes into training and research for people from a range of backgrounds, including PhDs, postdoctoral fellowships, internships, and funded time away from existing roles to develop research proposals. This will empower individuals with the skills, experience, and time to tackle these complex questions. 

The MARCH Centre welcomes opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration in maternity research. Get in touch to share relevant opportunities.  

What should happen next to ensure research and evidence informs the National Taskforce’s action plan in December? 

As the work progresses, we hope to align our research with the plan’s targets, milestones, and review points. This would allow us to provide timely evidence to refine its priorities and guide implementation, shaping how the plan evolves even if our findings are not ready for launch. We are in the early stages of planning an event, slated for June 2027, that will bring together stakeholders to take stock of progress in tackling disparities in England’s maternity care. 

Women, birthing people and their families cannot resolve these systemic problems themselves. We have heard their experiences; now we need to see change in making maternity care fit for purpose. 

Learn more about MSc Health Policy, Planning & Financing programme jointly developed and delivered by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the London School of Economics (LSE).