“Behind this report are families who lost babies, who were not listened to and who never got answers. Baroness Amos has heard them and now the Government must act.

“We are deeply troubled by the findings on racism. No woman should receive worse care because of the colour of her skin. Tackling racism is fundamental to saving lives and making workplaces safer.

“This report is also clear that services have not kept pace with the changing needs of women. Pregnancies are more complex. Interventions are rising. The system has not kept up and women and babies are paying the price.

“Baroness Amos’s findings confirm what the RCM has been saying for years. Chronic understaffing and a decade of under-investment have left midwives unable to consistently deliver the care every woman and baby deserves. Continuity of care saves lives but it cannot be delivered without the staff. A poll published last week found that nine in ten of our members say unsafe staffing is directly affecting the quality of care – day in, day out. This is a staffing emergency.

“The RCM welcomes the recommendation for a statutory Maternity and Neonatal Commissioner but accountability must be clear and this must not delay the immediate action that women, families and midwives need now.

“Baroness Amos has identified some urgent actions that can start now. The taskforce must prioritise them and the Government must back them with dedicated ring-fenced funding.

“Midwives have carried the weight of a broken system for too long. It is now time the Government properly invested in making safe, compassionate and equitable care possible for every woman and baby. They have waited long enough.”