AIMS Journal, 2026, Vol 38, No 2
A report from the AIMS Campaigns Team
Published written outputs:
Feedback to Woman’s Hour on their coverage of the latest AMOS report
Speaking notes on Continuity of Carer for meeting with Wes Streeting MP and Baroness Amos
AIMS Submission to the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation
Comment on parliamentary debate on appointing a Maternity Commissioner: Should we appoint a Maternity Commissioner in England? AIMS responds.
Review of Scotland’s Maternity Care Standards (You can read our review here)
Conferences and group meetings attended:
February 5th: NHS England Stakeholder Council, online
February 5th: MBRRACE/PMRT Stakeholder Meeting, online
February 10th & 20th: Homebirth Campaign meetings with ARM, Birthrights and NCT, online
March 4th: Meeting of the National Maternity and Neonatal Collective with Baroness Amos and Wes Streeting, London
10th March: Plan-A dissemination meeting, online
14th March: ARM Study Day meeting, Saltaire
17th March: Maternity APPG meeting, London
20th March: Leading and Managing Change session for third year student midwives, University of York
20th March, 17th April: First and second meetings of NHS England Home Birth Standards Working Group, online
April 17th-19th: Annual meeting of the European Network of Childbirth Associations, Warsaw
April 23rd: NHS England Stakeholder Council Awayday, online
April 27th: QMNC (Quality Maternal and Neonatal Care research alliance) Calabash Cafe, online: Birth in Every Culture: A Northern Uganda Birth Center Puts the QMNC Framework into Practice.
Who we have been liaising with:
ARM, Black Mothers Matter, The Motherhood Group, Birth Trauma Association, Cardiff University, NCT, Make Birth Better, Race Equality Foundation, Birthrights, NHS England, NHS maternity professionals, Department of Health and Social Care, University of York, various member organisations of the European Network of Childbirth Associations, City St Georges University, University of Central Lancashire, Midwifery Unit Network, Gloucester Maternity Action Group, Royal College of Midwives, Sands, University of Manchester, University of Southampton, Kings College London, Caribbean and African Health Network, Maternity APPG, University of Aberdeen, National Maternity and Neonatal Collective members, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, National Maternity and Perinatal Audit, MBRRACE, ministers, shadow ministers and spokespeople on maternity.
5th February: detailed reply from the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit to AIMS comments on their State of the Nation and Induction Audit reports: Birth Activists Briefing: NMPA State of the Nation Report for 2023
5th March: email to MBRRACE asking whether their next report could explore how many of the mothers who died had experienced Continuity of Carer or support from specialist teams.
2nd April: email to NI Consultant Midwives to enquire about updates to PHA Regional Framework on outside of guidance which was originally published in August 2023.
17th April: peer reviewed a scientific impact paper on understanding intrapartum pyrexia (fever in labour) for the RCOG (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists).
Thank you to everyone who engages with us, in our mutual ambition to improve maternity services.
What we have been reading/listening to/watching:
Independent Investigation into Maternity and Neonatal Services in England – Interim Report, published on February 26th 2026
Antenatal risk assessment and classification in maternity care: An integrative review
A case study analysis of a successful birth center in northern Uganda - PubMed
Student midwives' exposure to physiological birth: An analysis of 3055 births
Birth Activists Briefing: NMPA State of the Nation Report for 2023
Brazil’s community health workers inform primary care reforms in England | Nature Health
NHS England » Improving postnatal care: a toolkit for integrated care boards, partners and providers
Thanks to all the AIMS campaigns volunteers who have made this work possible. We are very keen to expand our campaigns team work, so please do get in touch with campaigns@aims.org.uk if you’d like to help!
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AIMS supports all maternity service users to navigate the system as it exists, and campaigns for a system which truly meets the needs of all.