Strengthening maternity safety: what the new NHS clinical standards mean for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

The recent announcement from NHS England setting out overhauled clinical standards for maternity care marks a significant national step forward in improving safety and reducing maternal deaths across England. The changes place renewed emphasis on earlier risk identification, faster escalation of care, and more consistent approaches to managing serious complications in pregnancy and the postnatal period.

At Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, we welcome this renewed focus on maternal safety and the ambition to reduce avoidable harm. However, as with all national policy changes, the real test will be how consistently these standards are implemented and experienced by women and families locally.

What is changing nationally?

The new standards include several key measures designed to improve outcomes for pregnant women, including:

• Earlier risk assessment for blood clots (venous thromboembolism) in all pregnant women
• Faster access to blood-thinning treatment for those identified at higher risk
• Stronger specialist pathways for women with pre-existing conditions, including access to maternal medicine centres
• More consistent and structured mental health screening during pregnancy and after birth
• Clearer escalation pathways for serious complications such as post-birth haemorrhage
• Greater use of digital systems and standardised records to improve continuity and safety in care 

These changes are being introduced alongside wider work on improving maternity data quality and consistency, including the rollout of the digital maternity record standard (DAPB3066), which aims to ensure maternity information can be shared more effectively across services and care settings. 

What this means locally

In Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, maternity services are delivered across a range of hospital and community settings, including Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Hospital, and a network of community midwifery and GP-based services.

Local families often tell us that their experiences of maternity care can vary depending on where they are seen, how quickly they are able to access support, and how well different parts of the system communicate with each other.

Against this backdrop, the new national standards are particularly relevant to our area in several ways:

• Access and continuity of care: Families across our network have highlighted challenges in navigating multiple services during pregnancy. Improved digital maternity records could help reduce repeated storytelling and improve coordination between hospitals and community midwives.
• Early identification of risk: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have a diverse population, including rural communities where access to timely care can be more difficult. Earlier risk assessment may help ensure complications are identified sooner, particularly for women who may not present frequently to services.
• Mental health support: Perinatal mental health has been a recurring theme in feedback to Healthwatch, including a specific report by Healthwatch Suffolk in 2019. Strengthening and standardising screening processes could help ensure that women in our area receive support earlier and more equitably.
• Health inequalities: National data continues to show persistent inequalities in maternal outcomes, particularly for Black and Asian women. This is a concern that will require sustained attention in local services as well as national reform. 

The importance of implementation

While the introduction of new standards is a positive step, their impact will depend on how effectively they are embedded across busy maternity services. This includes ensuring staff have the time, training and resources to deliver them consistently, and that digital systems genuinely improve rather than complicate care.

For areas like Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, where services are already managing significant demand pressures, implementation will be key to ensuring improvements are felt by women and families on the ground.

Listening to local experience

Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will continue to gather feedback from people using maternity services across the county. We will be particularly interested in hearing whether these changes lead to:

• More joined-up care between services
• Faster responses to concerns or complications
• Better access to mental health support during and after pregnancy
• Improved communication and continuity for families 

If you or your family have recently used maternity services in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, you can share your experience with us to help shape future improvements.