Require all NHS hospitals to provide single rooms for maternity care
The Issue
Every Mother Deserves a Private Room During the Birthing and Postnatal Time
We call on the UK Government and NHS England to make single-room accommodation the standard for all women receiving inpatient maternity care.
Every woman deserves to recover from childbirth with privacy, dignity and the best possible environment to care for her newborn.
The need for private, single-room maternity care in NHS hospitals across the UK has never been more pressing. For many women, childbirth is the most physically and emotionally demanding experience of their lives. Yet thousands of mothers recover on busy shared wards, separated only by curtains, surrounded by constant noise, multiple crying babies and little opportunity for uninterrupted rest. According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, a significant number of women report feeling anxious and stressed in shared maternity wards. The environment is often noisy, and privacy is severely limited, which can hinder both medical consultations and personal moments with newborns. Additionally, single rooms can potentially reduce the risks of infections—a concern that is particularly pertinent given the current ongoing health challenges globally.
Women who have undergone a caesarean section have had major abdominal surgery. No other group of surgical patients is routinely expected to recover from major surgery while simultaneously establishing infant feeding, caring for a newborn, adapting to parenthood and discussing intimate health concerns in an open ward environment.
Implementing single rooms in NHS hospitals for maternity care would ensure a safer, more personal, and comfortable atmosphere for mothers, leading to better health outcomes. A study published in The Lancet indicates that single-room care is linked to improved mental health for mothers, faster recovery times, and stronger family bonding.
The first hours and days after birth are critical for maternal recovery, breastfeeding, bonding and mental wellbeing. The environment should support these outcomes—not hinder them.
Why Single Rooms Matter
Private rooms would:
Protect privacy and dignity during examinations, breastfeeding and personal care.
Support uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact and responsive feeding.
Improve breastfeeding confidence and success.
Allow mothers to rest and recover from labour or surgery with fewer disturbances.
Reduce stress, anxiety and sensory overload during a vulnerable period.
Enable partners to remain involved in caring for both mother and baby.
Improve confidential discussions about physical recovery, mental health and safeguarding.
Provide compassionate care for families experiencing pregnancy loss, stillbirth or neonatal admission.
Reduce exposure to infectious diseases, protecting mothers and vulnerable newborns.
Create a calmer, developmentally appropriate environment for babies.
Improve the overall experience of maternity care for families.
This Is About Equality
The quality of a mother's recovery should not depend on where she lives or whether she can afford private healthcare.
Many newer maternity units and private hospitals already recognise that private rooms provide the best environment for recovery and family-centred care. Furthermore, ensuring single rooms will uphold dignity, privacy, and quality of care standards that all mothers deserve. It is time for policymakers and NHS management to prioritize women's health by committing to this necessary change.
Every family using NHS maternity services deserves the same standard.
Investing in Mothers Saves Money
Providing more single rooms is not simply an improvement in comfort—it is an investment in better healthcare.
Improved maternity environments have the potential to reduce costs by:
Reducing healthcare-associated infections and the costs of treating them.
Improving breastfeeding rates, leading to fewer childhood infections, reduced hospital admissions and long-term health benefits for both mother and child.
Supporting maternal mental health, potentially reducing the need for NHS psychological and community services.
Improving recovery following birth, helping women regain independence sooner.
Reducing complaints and litigation relating to dignity, privacy and patient experience.
Supporting better discharge education through quieter, uninterrupted conversations, reducing avoidable post-discharge contacts and readmissions.
Creating maternity units that are more resilient during future infectious disease outbreaks.
Investment in maternity care is an investment in the health of future generations.
The increase in single-room availability for maternity care is realistically achievable through phased renovation strategies and reallocating existing healthcare resources. The NHS has shown tremendous capabilities in restructuring facilities during times of crisis, demonstrating that significant change is possible.
A Better Start for Every Family
The birth of a child is one of the most important moments in a family's life.
Women deserve an environment that promotes healing, supports breastfeeding, encourages bonding and protects their dignity. Babies deserve a calm environment in which to begin life. Partners deserve the opportunity to support their family without compromising the privacy of others.
We Ask the Government and NHS England to:
Make single-room accommodation the national design standard for all new NHS maternity units and major refurbishments.
Develop a funded long-term strategy to increase the number of single rooms within existing maternity units.
Prioritise access for women recovering from caesarean birth, those with complex medical needs, and families experiencing bereavement or neonatal admission until universal provision is achieved.
Recognise the maternity environment as a key component of safe, compassionate and evidence-based care.
Every mother deserves privacy. Every baby deserves the best possible start.
The environment in which a family begins life together should reflect the importance of that moment.
Please sign this petition to urge NHS hospitals across the UK to adopt single rooms for maternity care, and improving the birthing experience for women across the nation.
25
The Issue
Every Mother Deserves a Private Room During the Birthing and Postnatal Time
We call on the UK Government and NHS England to make single-room accommodation the standard for all women receiving inpatient maternity care.
Every woman deserves to recover from childbirth with privacy, dignity and the best possible environment to care for her newborn.
The need for private, single-room maternity care in NHS hospitals across the UK has never been more pressing. For many women, childbirth is the most physically and emotionally demanding experience of their lives. Yet thousands of mothers recover on busy shared wards, separated only by curtains, surrounded by constant noise, multiple crying babies and little opportunity for uninterrupted rest. According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, a significant number of women report feeling anxious and stressed in shared maternity wards. The environment is often noisy, and privacy is severely limited, which can hinder both medical consultations and personal moments with newborns. Additionally, single rooms can potentially reduce the risks of infections—a concern that is particularly pertinent given the current ongoing health challenges globally.
Women who have undergone a caesarean section have had major abdominal surgery. No other group of surgical patients is routinely expected to recover from major surgery while simultaneously establishing infant feeding, caring for a newborn, adapting to parenthood and discussing intimate health concerns in an open ward environment.
Implementing single rooms in NHS hospitals for maternity care would ensure a safer, more personal, and comfortable atmosphere for mothers, leading to better health outcomes. A study published in The Lancet indicates that single-room care is linked to improved mental health for mothers, faster recovery times, and stronger family bonding.
The first hours and days after birth are critical for maternal recovery, breastfeeding, bonding and mental wellbeing. The environment should support these outcomes—not hinder them.
Why Single Rooms Matter
Private rooms would:
Protect privacy and dignity during examinations, breastfeeding and personal care.
Support uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact and responsive feeding.
Improve breastfeeding confidence and success.
Allow mothers to rest and recover from labour or surgery with fewer disturbances.
Reduce stress, anxiety and sensory overload during a vulnerable period.
Enable partners to remain involved in caring for both mother and baby.
Improve confidential discussions about physical recovery, mental health and safeguarding.
Provide compassionate care for families experiencing pregnancy loss, stillbirth or neonatal admission.
Reduce exposure to infectious diseases, protecting mothers and vulnerable newborns.
Create a calmer, developmentally appropriate environment for babies.
Improve the overall experience of maternity care for families.
This Is About Equality
The quality of a mother's recovery should not depend on where she lives or whether she can afford private healthcare.
Many newer maternity units and private hospitals already recognise that private rooms provide the best environment for recovery and family-centred care. Furthermore, ensuring single rooms will uphold dignity, privacy, and quality of care standards that all mothers deserve. It is time for policymakers and NHS management to prioritize women's health by committing to this necessary change.
Every family using NHS maternity services deserves the same standard.
Investing in Mothers Saves Money
Providing more single rooms is not simply an improvement in comfort—it is an investment in better healthcare.
Improved maternity environments have the potential to reduce costs by:
Reducing healthcare-associated infections and the costs of treating them.
Improving breastfeeding rates, leading to fewer childhood infections, reduced hospital admissions and long-term health benefits for both mother and child.
Supporting maternal mental health, potentially reducing the need for NHS psychological and community services.
Improving recovery following birth, helping women regain independence sooner.
Reducing complaints and litigation relating to dignity, privacy and patient experience.
Supporting better discharge education through quieter, uninterrupted conversations, reducing avoidable post-discharge contacts and readmissions.
Creating maternity units that are more resilient during future infectious disease outbreaks.
Investment in maternity care is an investment in the health of future generations.
The increase in single-room availability for maternity care is realistically achievable through phased renovation strategies and reallocating existing healthcare resources. The NHS has shown tremendous capabilities in restructuring facilities during times of crisis, demonstrating that significant change is possible.
A Better Start for Every Family
The birth of a child is one of the most important moments in a family's life.
Women deserve an environment that promotes healing, supports breastfeeding, encourages bonding and protects their dignity. Babies deserve a calm environment in which to begin life. Partners deserve the opportunity to support their family without compromising the privacy of others.
We Ask the Government and NHS England to:
Make single-room accommodation the national design standard for all new NHS maternity units and major refurbishments.
Develop a funded long-term strategy to increase the number of single rooms within existing maternity units.
Prioritise access for women recovering from caesarean birth, those with complex medical needs, and families experiencing bereavement or neonatal admission until universal provision is achieved.
Recognise the maternity environment as a key component of safe, compassionate and evidence-based care.
Every mother deserves privacy. Every baby deserves the best possible start.
The environment in which a family begins life together should reflect the importance of that moment.
Please sign this petition to urge NHS hospitals across the UK to adopt single rooms for maternity care, and improving the birthing experience for women across the nation.
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Petition created on 26 June 2026