NHS England - Governance Concerns

From: Emma's Antenatal - Info <info@emmasantenatal.com>
Subject: Maternity governance concern – Gloucestershire home birth service suspension
Date: 13 March 2026 at 10:17:26 GMT
To: england.contactus@nhs.net

Dear NHS England,

I am writing to raise a serious governance concern regarding maternity services provided by Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the oversight of NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board.

Through a series of Freedom of Information requests submitted during late 2025 and early 2026, I have received responses that raise questions about the governance processes underpinning the decision to suspend planned home birth services in Gloucestershire.

The Trust confirmed that planned home birth services were suspended on 17 November 2025, citing staffing pressures.

However, FOI responses indicate the following:

• The Trust had a significant underspend in its maternity staffing budget during the relevant period.

• The home birth suspension risk assessment is still “going through governance processes before finalisation.”

• In response to a request for documentation relating to A-EQUIP implementation and Professional Midwifery Advocate (PMA) reflective supervision between 2020–2025, the Trust responded that no records of correspondence or assessments were held relating to maternity staffing safety or service changes.

These responses raise concerns about whether the governance processes expected within national maternity safety frameworks were in place and documented at the time the service suspension decision was taken.

The Trust has also indicated that demand for planned home birth locally is approximately six women per month. Independent midwives, who are regulated by the **Nursing and Midwifery Council, are used by other NHS Trusts as part of commissioned arrangements where services face temporary workforce pressures. It is therefore unclear whether alternative commissioning options were explored before removing the service entirely.

I have submitted an internal review request to the Trust seeking clarification regarding:

• whether any contemporaneous risk assessment existed at the time of the suspension decision
• what searches were undertaken for AEQUIP and PMA documentation
• whether draft or interim documents informed the decision

Given NHS England’s role in overseeing maternity safety and governance frameworks nationally, I felt it appropriate to bring this information to your attention.

I would be happy to provide copies of the relevant FOI responses and correspondence if helpful.

Kind regards
Emma Gleave