Sky News Daily Is the NHS failing women and babies?
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Dec 8, 2025 Leah Hazard, a practising NHS midwife and bestselling author, dives deep into the crisis in UK maternity care. She highlights the emotional toll of birth trauma and the neglect of women’s birth plans. Chronic underfunding has left services broken, leading to rushed, dehumanising treatment and staffing shortages. Leah calls for urgent changes, advocating for skilled, compassionate care while addressing the heavy burden on midwives. Her insights shed light on the need for accountability and systemic reform in maternity services.
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Service Beyond Breaking Point
- NHS maternity services have been chronically under-resourced and are now beyond breaking point.
- The staffing crisis and underfunding have fundamentally broken the service's ability to provide consistent care.
Believe And Partner With Women
- Midwives should start from the default position that women are to be believed and their preferences respected.
- Partnership, good evidence and informed choice are central to safe, empowering maternity care.
Treatment Shapes Birth Trauma
- Research shows birth trauma is often caused by how people are treated, not just pain or mode of birth.
- Compassionate, responsive care during labour drastically changes women's retrospective perception of birth.
