Maternity services independent review: principles
- Published
- 11 June 2026
- Topic
- Health and social care
The high-level principles that will guide an independent review of maternity services, which will engage with women, families, staff and other stakeholders.
We are commissioning an independent review of maternity services in Scotland.
These high-level principles, set out by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care in a parliamentary statement on 11 June 2026, will guide the review.
The review will be chaired by Professor Christine McCourt, who will use them as a basis for engagement to agree a full remit and terms of reference.
Principles
The review will:
- be led by an independent Chair
- make a population-based, strategic assessment of the current and future needs of the population
- take a whole-systems approach, including antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care in hospital-based and community settings
- be forward-looking
- be informed by the experiences of women, families and staff and engage with them throughout
- make recommendations to Scottish Ministers which will deliver sustainable, safe care for women, families and babies
- be completed within nine months of the Chair being appointed, and deliver a final report and recommendations one month later
Areas of focus
Specific areas of focus should include, but not be limited to:
- how changing trends in maternal characteristics and maternity care and outcomes will inform the planning and delivery of maternity services, including workforce, culture, leadership and governance, capacity across the system, patient flow to support patient safety, patient experience, and choice of place of birth
- maternity services in rural and island areas across Scotland and the experiences of women living there this must include, but is not limited to, the experience of women in Caithness, Wigtownshire and Elgin
- care for women at risk of poorer outcomes, including Black and Asian women, Gypsy/Traveller Community and women with multiple complex social and clinical disadvantages
- the governance and oversight of maternity services, including how NHS Boards are engaging with their local community and service on decisions about service change
Approach
The review will engage meaningfully with maternity service users, including both women and families who have used these services in the past, and those currently using them. It will be sensitive to diversity and take particular care to hear the voices of women and families who are less often heard. The review will also listen to the voices of staff who work in maternity and obstetric services, building on their expertise as providers of care.
The review will take account of available data and audit sources, including audit reports, clinical dashboards, international literature and the outcomes of Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s maternity inspections programme. The Chair may commission additional information if required.
Governance and reporting
The Chair will undertake this review independently of Scottish Ministers.
The Chair and Panel will report to Scottish Ministers at defined periods during the review and provide Ministers with a final report and recommendations.
The review should be completed within nine months of the Chair being appointed. Recommendations and the final report should be published within 10 months of the Chair being appointed.
Next steps
The Chair will publish a full scope and terms of reference following engagement with the Scottish Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, Patient Safety Commissioner, women and families, staff and other relevant stakeholders and include partnership working with professional organisations.