NHS Maternity Care Plagued by ‘Toxic‘ Culture, Putting Mothers and Babies at Risk, GMC Chief to Warn
A pervasive “toxic” culture within the NHS is hindering patient safety and potentially leading to harm for mothers and babies, the General Medical Council’s (GMC) Chief Executive, Charlie Massey, is expected to say today. massey will address a conference outlining data revealing a meaningful proportion of obstetrics and gynaecology trainees feel unable to raise concerns about patient safety, contributing to a climate of cover-up rather than candour.
The warning comes amid ongoing scrutiny of maternity scandals in recent years, highlighting the high-risk and high-pressure surroundings of maternity care where errors can have devastating consequences for both mothers and their infants, and their families. GMC data shows that over a quarter (27%) of obstetrics and gynaecology trainees admit to hesitancy in escalating patient concerns to senior colleagues – a higher rate than observed in other medical specialties.
Further compounding the issue, the GMC data also indicates above-average levels of workload stress, bullying, and a lack of peer support within the speciality. “These data suggest a situation where too frequently enough patient safety is falling victim to unhealthy culture,” Massey will state. “The unthinkable – harm to mothers and their babies – is at risk of being normalised. and toxic culture is in no small part to blame.”
Massey will argue that factors fostering this environment – fear of repercussions, a lack of psychological safety, and a prioritisation of reputation over clarity – directly contribute to cover-ups and obstruct honest reporting of errors. The GMC’s intervention underscores growing concerns about systemic issues within NHS maternity services and the urgent need for cultural change to prioritize patient safety and accountability.
