Today the Government have published a renewed Women’s Health Strategy to ensure that women across England will be better heard and served by health services. 

Women’s Health has been overlooked for too long, leading to poor experiences and outcomes. We are pleased that the refreshed strategy places women’s experiences at the centre of care. We know that listening to women can save babies’ lives. But ambition alone is not enough. Ambition must now turn to action.  

Data from 2022–23 shows that over 800 babies may have been saved with better care in that year alone. 

Baroness Amos’ investigation into maternity and neonatal services is due to report in Spring 2026. After which the Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State, will turn recommendations into actions. Their action plan must provide leadership for the delivery of safe, equitable and personalised maternity and neonatal care; ensuring that all women are confident that they, and their baby, will receive the highest quality and safe care.  

We welcome the ambitions set out in the renewed women's health strategy but we need to see how these will make a difference in practice. The Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, has said today that women’s voices must be central to delivering effective, respectful and empathetic care. We agree and this must include the voices of all those who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss.

 Following the devastation of pregnancy or baby loss it is essential that those women and their partners get the consistent, high-quality bereavement care and support they deserve. All NHS hospital trusts in England have agreed to follow the Sands National Bereavement Care Pathway and it's good to see this highlighted in the renewed strategy, alongside funding for improving bereavement care facilities. However, it now falls to individual trusts and hospitals to take the actions needed to improve how they deliver bereavement care. Sands’ training, research and ability to connect healthcare professionals with bereaved parents to listen and learn from their experiences are all ways that we can help the NHS make the changes that are urgently needed.

Currently, women and birthing people must go through the pain and distress of three miscarriages before they’re routinely offered care, tests and treatments that could help prevent the loss of another baby. We are pleased to see the Government’s commitment to reviewing the findings of the Tommy’s Graded Model of Miscarriage Care pilot study, which sees support after every miscarriage, with levels of care increasing with each loss, and considering its wider adoption across the NHS.

The Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit is continuing to call for better recording and understanding of data around miscarriage – and this has not been addressed in the strategy. Knowing how many women experience miscarriage is a first step toward the government adding a target to reduce these losses as part of the National Maternity Safety Ambitions.

Listening to parents can save babies' lives but only if their concerns are taken seriously and acted upon. Acknowledging that misogyny exists in the NHS is a step forward but there also needs to be action taken to tackle the racism and stereotyping of women that is happening because of their ethnicity and is resulting in poor care. A number of mothers who took part in Sands research told us how the stereotyping of Black women as ‘strong’, ‘feisty’ or ‘dramatic’ had prevented midwives and doctors from recognising when they were at their most vulnerable. And evidence tells us that Black and Asian babies are more likely to be stillborn or die as newborns compared with white babies."

- Sands' Chief Executive, Clea Harmer

What new announcements have been made today? 

We are currently reviewing the document in full but can highlight the following announcement. The strategy includes:  

1. A review of care for women who experience repeated baby loss  

Currently, women and birthing people must have experienced three losses before they are offered care, tests and treatments that could help to prevent the loss of another baby.  

We know this is heartbreaking and incredibly traumatic for families.  

We welcome a commitment to review the results of the pilot of Tommy’s graded model of miscarriage care which aims to ensure women and birthing people receive dedicated care from their first miscarriage. 

2. Tackling misogynistic practices around pain relief 

We are pleased that the Government has announced plans to tackle outdated and misogynistic practices around pain relief.  

Addressing the role of misogyny in poor care is vital. At Sands too many families report that they were not listened to when they had concerns or experienced pain.  

Alongside misogyny, this can also be driven by systemic racism and stereotyping. Sands have heard from bereaved families how the stereotyping of Black or mixed white and Black women as ‘strong’, ‘feisty’ or ‘dramatic’ can prevent midwives and doctors from recognising when they were at their most vulnerable.  

Maternity and neonatal services must be designed with women, birthing people and families at the centre, ensuring that they are always listened to and concerns taken seriously. There must be a zero tolerance to misogyny or racism in care.  

What steps have the Government already taken?

As well as making some new announcements, the strategy highlights work which has already been completed. These are steps in the right direction, but we know there is more to do.  

1. National Bereavement Care Pathway  

We know that not everyone in the UK is receiving high-quality bereavement care after pregnancy or baby loss. Sands lead the way in setting the standards for high-quality bereavement care through the National Bereavement Care Pathway (NBCP).   

The NBCP seeks to improve the quality and consistency of bereavement care received by parents after pregnancy or baby loss. The refreshed strategy highlights that the National Bereavement Care Pathways for Stillbirth and Neonatal Death have been included in NHS planning documents.  

What does this mean?  
This means that all hospitals and commissioners are expected to implement the pathways for stillbirth and neonatal death to improve the quality and consistency of bereavement care received by parents after baby loss.  

Sands' response
Whilst we are pleased that the bereavement care pathways for Stillbirth and Neonatal Death have been included in the framework, we know there is more to do to ensure families experiencing miscarriage, termination for medical reasons and sudden unexpected death in infancy receive high quality bereavement care.  

These pathways must also be included in future planning frameworks to ensure that all families receive high quality bereavement care after pregnancy or baby loss.  

2. £9 million to enhance bereavement facilities or estates  

Earlier this year, the Government announced that £9 million had been allocated to over 40 trusts to enhance bereavement facilities or estates.  

What does this mean? 
This means that over 40 trusts have received additional funding from the Government to improve their bereavement spaces within hospitals. Ways in which hospitals have previously upgraded their spaces includes soundproofing bereavement rooms, upgrading ensuite facilities and improving access so families do not have to walk through labour wards to bereavement spaces.  

Sands' response
It’s good that the Government are supporting hospitals to improve bereavement spaces. We know that the condition and layout of existing NHS Estates present a significant challenge to hospitals trying to improve bereavement care.  

However, this funding will only support a small number of trusts to improve some facilities. Improvements need to be made across services, including in early pregnancy, scanning, waiting rooms, gynaecology units, emergency departments and paediatric wards. This will require a much larger package of support to all trusts to deliver.  

3. Employment Rights Act 2025