To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to improve quality and safety in maternity services; and whether there are mechanisms in place to monitor and audit the implementation of the maternity dashboard in trusts, as recommended by the Chief Medical Officer in his report in 2007 and by Lord Darzi in the NHS Next Stage Review; (221818)

The Department’s strategy for safe, high quality, modernised maternity services is set out in “Maternity Matters: Choice, access and continuity of care in a safe service”. A copy has already been placed in the Library. It is for trusts to provide maternity care in line with the clinical standards outlined in guidance issued by the Department, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and the professional bodies.

The new standards for maternity and gynaecological care, developed by the Royal Colleges, and the maternity dashboard, produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), are useful tools, which commissioners and providers are encouraged to use to develop high quality maternity care. The president of the RCOG has written to all clinical directors asking them to use and adapt the dashboard in their maternity units. Its use will be evaluated by the RCOG.