Key facts
- Dr. Bill Kirkup, an expert adviser, resigned from Valerie Amos's review of maternity care in England.
- Kirkup alleges that Amos altered the final report to remove criticism of "normal birth ideology."
- He claims this decision disregarded patient safety implications for mothers and babies.
- Amos's report stated that "normal birth ideology" was not found to be widespread in the visited maternity services.
- NHS England announced plans for a 24/7 triage service at all maternity units within a year.
Dr. Bill Kirkup, a former obstetrician and gynaecologist and an expert adviser to Valerie Amos's review of maternity care in England, has claimed that Amos altered the final report to remove criticism of "normal birth ideology." Kirkup resigned eight days before the report's publication, stating that Amos had "listened to the wrong voices" and that a section outlining potential risks of encouraging vaginal births had "disappeared."
Kirkup believes this issue is a patient safety danger that should be openly discussed. He noted that a significant number of people had approved an earlier version of the report that did address concerns about normal birth, but this section was removed shortly before publication. He suggested that research by the review team still indicated this was an issue in some places.
The Amos report, a 174-page document, included a four-page section on "normal birth ideology." It concluded that based on the available evidence, the ideology was not widespread in the 12 NHS trusts visited. Amos did not respond to the BBC's request for comment on Kirkup's claims.
Separately, NHS bosses have pledged to ensure all 155 maternity units in England will offer a 24/7 triage service within a year. This initiative is part of a new 10-point plan to enhance childbirth services, aiming to provide pregnant women and new parents with immediate access to midwife advice via phone for any concerns.