Midwife shortages could be costing babies’ lives, MPs have been told.
The All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Baby Loss and Maternity heard that “chronic understaffing” left little time to carry out basic antenatal checks.
NHS staff told them there was a growing fear of mistakes.
The revelations follow devastating maternity scandals, including that at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust where more than 200 avoidable deaths occurred.
The Care Quality Commission also found a danger from avoidable harm at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Cherilyn Mackrory MP, co-chair of the APPG on Baby Loss, said: “This crucial report highlights the impact of staffing shortages.”
The Royal College of Midwives is now balloting for strike action over poor pay they link to an exodus of staff.
Meanwhile Neonatal charity Sands found less than half of NHS trusts offer staff bereavement care training.
Boss Clea Harmer said: “Too often inexperienced midwives are being left on their own to care for bereaved families.”
The Department of Health and Social Care insisted: “We are making progress to halve the rates of stillbirth, neonatal and maternal deaths by 2025.”
"The NHS is investing £95 million to recruit 1,200 more midwives and 100 more consultant obstetricians, as well as £127 million to further boost the workforce and bolster good leadership and culture, so we have the staff in place to deliver high-quality, safe care.”
