Maternity care expert quits Amos review, accusing her of burying 'normal birth ideology' criticism

Dr Bill Kirkup, a highly respected childbirth safety expert, has accused Valerie Amos, the author of a major inquiry into maternity care in England, of removing a section from the final report that criticized “normal birth ideology”. Kirkup, who served as one of the 12 expert clinical advisers to Amos’s nine-month review, said the section “disappeared” eight days before publication, despite having been approved by “a significant number of people”. He told the BBC that Amos had “listened to the wrong voices” and that the removal endangered patient safety.

Kirkup, a former obstetrician and gynaecologist who has led or assisted several major inquiries including the Morecambe Bay and East Kent maternity scandals, resigned on 22 June 2026, citing disagreement over the wording of conclusions on normal birth ideology. He stressed that the issue is not just about wording, but about acknowledging a problem with patient safety implications for mothers and babies.

The Amos report itself includes a four-page section on normal birth ideology, concluding that it was not found to be widespread in the 12 NHS trusts visited. Amos did not respond to BBC's request for comment on Kirkup's claims.

Separately, NHS England announced that within a year, all 155 maternity units in England will offer a 24/7 telephone triage service, allowing pregnant women to speak to a midwife anytime if they have concerns. Some hospitals already operate such a service, including Queen's Hospital in Romford, which expanded to round-the-clock coverage and improved its rating to “good”. Chief Midwifery Officer Kate Brintworth said the move will modernise services, ensuring women in emergencies get immediate specialist advice rather than waiting for a call back or voicemail.