Women should feel confident that they will receive safe, effective, compassionate maternity care that focuses on their individual needs. That is the experience of many people. But too many families still face care that puts the safety and wellbeing of women and babies at risk.
When things do go wrong, families have a right to complain. The themes from maternity complaints families have brought to us shine a light on their experiences. We want to encourage others to let their voices be heard and help make maternity care safer for everyone.
Your stories, your rights
The stories below show some of the common themes and missed opportunities we found in maternity complaints. In cases where we found failings, we look at how this affected the women and their families, and what the organisation needed to do to put things right.
"What happened to me should never be allowed to happen to anyone else. It was a traumatic experience that affected me deeply and still does. All women should be able to trust the care they’re receiving is the best. You should not be made to feel wrong when raising your concerns."
