The midwife, who led a report into mother and baby deaths at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust and is now reviewing maternity services at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, told BBC Radio 4 progress on her recommendations had been ‘very disappointing'.

Ockenden said ‘key issues', including workforce, training, funding, education and culture, had needed addressing for years.

The Government launched a national maternity investigation in June 2025 with its initial findings expected in February 2026 and a final report and national recommendations following in spring 2026.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘Public inquiries are an important way to establish accountability and provide learnings and holding one on maternity failings has not been ruled out.

‘Changes are required to ensure safe maternity care for both mothers and babies which is why this Government ordered a national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services, why we welcomed the update from Baroness Amos and why we are setting up the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce to begin addressing the deep-rooted issues.

‘Harmed and bereaved families will remain at the heart of both the investigation and the response, to ensure no one has to suffer like this again. Because every single preventable tragedy is one too many.'

The DHSC acknowledged some families wanted a statutory inquiry while others said they already knew what was going wrong and wanted systemic change now.

The Government said a statutory inquiry took time and it was currently focused on a rapid investigation and setting up the taskforce to drive an action plan coming from that investigation forward.