Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered at on 8 July 2026.
Gavin Williamson
Conservative, Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Oral Statement of 24 June 2026 on Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services, Official Report, column 346, whether second opinions requested under Martha’s Rule in maternity services will be provided by (a) Critical Care Outreach Teams or (b) obstetric specialists; and what steps he will take to ensure that second opinions are provided in a timely manner.
Gavin Williamson
Conservative, Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Oral Statement of 24 June 2026 on Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services, Official Report, column 346, whether the extension of Martha’s Rule to maternity services will be funded (a) from the existing funding allocated for Critical Care Outreach Teams and (b) whether additional funding will be provided to NHS trusts to support its implementation in maternity services.
Gavin Williamson
Conservative, Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Oral Statement of 24 June 2026 on Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services, Official Report, column 346, if he will make it his policy to set a target response time for NHS trusts to achieve a second opinion requested under Martha’s Rule in maternity settings where an urgent obstetric review is required.
Preet Kaur Gill
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care
In June, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced the implementation of Martha’s Rule in all antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal inpatient maternity and neonatal settings in England, building on 15 successful pilot sites.
This is to ensure that every parent can request a rapid review from an independent medical team if a baby or mother’s condition is deteriorating and they are concerned this is not being responded to.
NHS England is supporting the implementation of Matha’s rule, including in maternity services.
Yes1 person thinks so
No0 people think not
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