A report will be published today on the findings of Bill Kirkup into maternity service failings at East Kent NHS Trust.

This is tough reading - especially when such similar themes mirrored following the Morecambe Bay Scandal. 

He says in the report:

"When I reported on Morecambe Bay maternity services in 2015, I did not imagine for one moment that I would be back in seven years' time talking about a rather similar set of cir- cumstances and that there would have been another two large, high-profile maternity fail- ures as well on top of that...This cannot go on. We have to address this in a different way...We can't simply respond to each one as if it's a one-off, as if this is the last time this will happen. We have to do things differently."

Sadly, we are not surprised by this report as we hear from nurses and midwives across the country who are working in extremely challenging work environments and are try- ing to escalate concerns but with no effect. We also hear from newly qualified midwives and nurses who are scared at the environments they are finding themselves in with lit- tle preceptorship and quick blaming when their lack of experience leads them to be in unsafe working environments.

Those that we meet through NMCWatch have found themselves being referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council rather than have their concerns actioned, often for minor mistakes, that could have likely been safeguarded against.