A digital system to flag potential safety concerns will be rolled out to all maternity services by November 2025, the government has stated as part of a national maternity investigation, with the aim to improve care across the NHS.
The investigation aims to assess the “worst-performing services in the country”, in order to make sure “every woman and baby receives safe, high-quality and compassionate care” in all maternity settings. This includes introducing a digital system that will reportedly flag potential safety concerns in trusts, while also providing support for quick, national action in order to improve patient care.
Other areas of focus for the investigation include introducing an anti-discrimination programme to help tackle inequalities in this sector and having the NHS CEO and Chief Nursing Officer meet with trust leaders in areas that are presenting the greatest concern. “We‘re also taking immediate steps to hold failing services to account and give staff the tools they need to deliver the kind, safe, respectful care every family deserves,” Wes Streeting commented.
National healthcare announcements and legislation: the wider trend
In April, Wes Streeting spoke on digital leadership in social care as part of his speech at Unison’s 2025 National Health Care Conference. He highlighted the potential of technology to transform social care and noted, “by investing in skills training for care workers, introducing a Fair Pay Agreement, and providing more opportunities for career progression, we will help retain the incredible professionals we need.”
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology recently announced plans to build a digital marketplace, which will reportedly change the technology procurement process in the UK public sector. The National Digital Exchange platform will be designed to make it “faster and easier to buy the right technology”, encourage small businesses to get involved with government contracts and allow public servants the power to rate and review suppliers.
Earlier this month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £29 billion in investment to get the “NHS back on its feet and fit for the future”, with up to £10 billion set to be allocated to tech and digital transformation. The funding was included during the Spending Review, with the aim to enable the NHS to deliver on the Plan for Change.
Regulations from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency recently came into force, requiring manufacturers to “actively monitor” the safety and performance of medical devices once on the market. According to MHRA, the regulations have been designed to help identify potential safety issues earlier and to enable faster responses to incidents and emerging risks.
