Campaigns

AIMS has campaigned for improvements to the maternity services in the UK since 1960.

We campaign at national level for a maternity system that is safe, personalised and equitable. To achieve this, we call for a system that is physiology-informed by design, where all staff respect women’s rights, listen to their concerns and wishes, and support their informed decision-making, and which is underpinned by full-pathway, community-based Continuity of Carer for all.

AIMS Position Papers

AIMS is pleased to announce the publication of the first of our new position papers. Over the years, AIMS has developed a reputation for taking a posi…   Read more…

There is no plan B: continuity, accountability, and maternity reform

The evidence collected from women and staff all points in the same direction: a system that feels fragmented, inconsistent, and, at times, unsafe. Wom…   Read more…

AIMS comments on the 10 Point Plan announced following the June 2026 Ockenden and Amos Reports

In the light of two recently-published hefty reports on the past and present functionality of the maternity and neonatal services, first in Nottingham…   Read more…

Making sense of maternity service recommendations: we need a better approach

By Jo Dagustun, Senior Campaigns Volunteer As readers grapple with the latest set of national recommendations and actions from Donna Ockenden's Nottin…   Read more…

Open letter to Michelle Welsh MP, National Maternity Advisor, maternity improvement

17th June 2026 Dear Michelle The AIMS Campaigns Team, and AIMS more broadly, would like to warmly welcome you to your new role as National Maternity A…   Read more…

Should we appoint a Maternity Commissioner in England? AIMS responds.

A forthcoming parliamentary debate on the petition calling for the appointment of a Maternity Commissioner ‘to improve maternity care for mums and bab…   Read more…

AIMS Submission to the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation

Thank you for inviting organisations to offer evidence to the investigation. AIMS has welcomed this investigation, and we stand ready to support it, d…   Read more…

Continuity of Carer - Speaking notes for meeting with Baroness Amos & Wes Streeting

London, Wednesday 4th March 2026 A key component of ensuring maternity service provision that is safe, personalised and equitable, is the provision of…   Read more…

AIMS responds to Woman’s Hour Coverage of latest AMOS report

The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, led by Valerie Amos, published an interim report on February 26, 2026. This was covered on the BBC’…   Read more…

AIMS, ARM and Birthrights Open Letter re tragic deaths of Jennifer and Agnes Cahill

AIMS (Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services), ARM (the Association of Radical Midwives) and Birthrights are jointly calling for actio…   Read more…

What does the Government’s 10-year Health Plan for England mean for the Maternity Services?

The Government’s 10-year health plan for England ‘ Fit for the Future ’, launched in July 2025, is the outcome of the large-scale ‘Change NHS’ consult…   Read more…

AIMS Letter to Wes Streeting to welcome announcement of a National Maternity Review

AIMS has written to Wes Streeting MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to welcome his announcement of a National Maternity Review, offer…   Read more…

AIMS review of the Big Baby trial

Introduction There has long been uncertainty over whether there is any benefit to early induction of labour when a baby is suspected to be ‘big’, know…   Read more…

MBRRACE-UK Saving Lives Improving Mothers' Care Report 2024

By the AIMS Campaigns team This note is intended to offer both a summary and AIMS commentary on the latest annual MBRRACE-UK report. MBRRACE stands fo…   Read more…

AIMS Letter to Professor Mary Renfrew

AIMS has written to Professor Mary Renfrew to thank her for taking the lead on reviewing maternity services in Northern Ireland. Her report is the fir…   Read more…

Placeholder

PIMS Short Case Study - Optimal Cord Clamping and Intact Cord Resuscitation

Optimal cord clamping AIMS supports midwife Amanda Burleigh’s campaign for optimal cord clamping “ Wait for White ”. Optimal cord clamping is a key pa…   Read more…

Placeholder

PIMS Short Case Study - Biomechanics

Biomechanics for Birth AIMS is proud to showcase the work of Molly O’Brien, who teaches Biomechanics for Birth, including techniques to diagnose and r…   Read more…

Placeholder

PIMS Short Case Study - Family-friendly/natural/gentle caesarean birth

Some key elements Promotion of a holistic and personalised birth experience Parents able to see baby being born (if wished) Slow birth of baby’s body…   Read more…

What next for the maternity services in England? AIMS responds to NHS England’s 2025/26 Operational Planning Guidance

By the AIMS Campaigns Team 18 February 2025 Based on guidance documents published last month, by the Government and by NHS England 1 , AIMS is pleased…   Read more…

Scotland set to make progress in implementing full pathway Continuity of Carer? An AIMS update

By the AIMS Campaigns Team February 2025 AIMS wrote to Neil Gray, the Cabinet Secretary for Health & Social Care, in January this year regarding the i…   Read more…

Birth Activist Briefings

These regular briefings aim to provide information to understand key features of our maternity service structure to help you to campaign for improved…   Read more…

Change NHS Community Engagement workshop feedback

On 29th January 2025 AIMS hosted an engagement workshop to gather feedback on what people would like to see included in the Government’s 10 year Healt…   Read more…

AIMS response to the Change NHS consultation

AIMS has submitted an organisational response to the Government's Change NHS consultation. This sets out the key improvements to the maternity service…   Read more…

AIMS Letter to Wes Streeting

AIMS has written to Wes Streeting MP, welcoming him to the role of Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. We acknowledge his awareness that ma…   Read more…

Latest Content

Journal

« »

Sovereignty of the Body: Birth, Int…

AIMS Journal, 2026, Vol 38, No 2 By Tamara Blakemore The First Breath I’m a birth artist, and apparently I’m here to talk about the sovereignty of the body, which feels s…

Read more

Scottish Maternity Update: Review o…

AIMS Journal, 2026, Vol 38, No 2 By Camille Del Pozo and Anne Glover on behalf of the AIMS Campaigns Team Background AIMS wrote to Neil Gray, the Cabinet Secretary for He…

Read more

The sovereignty of the body in preg…

AIMS Journal, 2026, Vol 38, No 2 By Alex Smith Welcome to the June 2026 edition of the AIMS journal. This issue is about the sovereignty of the body in pregnancy and chil…

Read more

Events

« »

Threads of Protest

Join us for the launch of Threads of Protest A new exhibition at Science Gallery London exploring inequality in maternity care through creative practice, lived experience…

Read more

AIMS Workshop: Focusing on Rights i…

Join us for one of our series of interactive online AIMS workshops, " Focusing on Rights in Pregnancy and Birth ". Emma Ashworth (principal author of "The AIMS Guide to Y…

Read more

AIMS Workshop: Focusing on Inductio…

Join us for one of our series of interactive online AIMS workshops, " Focusing on Induction of Labour ". Nadia Higson (principal author of "The AIMS Guide to Induction of…

Read more

Latest Campaigns

« »

AIMS responds to the Nursing and Mi…

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (the NMC) has been consulting on proposed changes to its education standards, including “whether education standards for midwives could…

Read more

There is no plan B: continuity, acc…

The evidence collected from women and staff all points in the same direction: a system that feels fragmented, inconsistent, and, at times, unsafe. Women describe not bein…

Read more

Making sense of maternity service r…

By Jo Dagustun, Senior Campaigns Volunteer As readers grapple with the latest set of national recommendations and actions from Donna Ockenden's Nottingham report , Valeri…

Read more