Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 19
19
Rejected
Restore dedicated ring-fenced funding for maternity care Service Development Fund to £95 million.
Recommendation
We strongly recommend that the Government restore the dedicated ring- fenced funding for the Service Development Fund for maternity care to £95 million. Properly targeted we believe this investment has the potential to reduce the substantial cost of maternity negligence claims to the NHS and more than pay for itself. (Recommendation, Paragraph 91)
Government Response Summary
The government rejected the recommendation to restore ring-fenced funding for maternity care, explaining that while funding levels are maintained, the ring-fence was removed to provide local healthcare system leaders with greater autonomy and flexibility.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
This government has instructed the NHS to improve maternity services, as part of a drive to improve quality, as a priority in the Medium Term Planning Framework. Maternity funding has not been cut. The same level of funding is being delivered, but the ring-fence has been removed to allow local healthcare system leaders more autonomy to meet the needs of their local population. Maternity, which formed part of the Service Development Funding (SDF) in 2024 to 2025, has been transferred to ICB core allocations for 2025 to 2026 to allow local leaders more flexibility to serve the needs of their local populations. NHS England does not commission or budget for maternity services - this is the responsibility of ICBs. This approach is consistent with our wider intention to give local healthcare leaders - who are best placed to decide how to serve their local community - more flexibility. This type of approach is also normal practice across the NHS - ring-fenced SDF funding is provided to embed a new initiative with future funding then rolled into ICB baselines, which can then progress with the initiative in a way that works best locally.