Written question WQ99026

As a government, we recognise the profound grief which will face parents who lose a baby at any stage. The latest MBRRACE UK report, published on 11 June 2026, shows that rates of stillbirth and neonatal death are falling across the UK, including Wales. While this reflects welcome progress over time, we are acutely conscious that Wales still has the highest combined rates of neonatal and stillbirth deaths of all the UK nations. This underlines the need for further action, and as a new Welsh Government we are determined to improve the safety of midwifery services. As a first step, we are convening a graduate summit to address longstanding issues in the availability of employment posts for medical graduates, including in the current midwifery cohort. Our new NHS workforce plan, the first iteration of which will be published in the autumn, will also set out the longer-term approach to sustaining safe levels of staffing. This is being undertaken in conjunction with the work to implement the recommendations set out in the Path to Safer Beginnings report, published February 2026, which sets out clear actions to improve maternity safety. We are also exploring ways of improving data collection in this area so that service performance can be more effectively monitored. These actions are being taken forward through a structured improvement programme over the next three years, providing a clear and disciplined framework to support safe, sustainable and long-term change. This phased approach will support maternity and neonatal services to embed meaningful improvements while maintaining a strong focus on quality and safety. Welsh Government will continue to monitor progress to inform policy development.

It is worth noting that in Wales, year to year variation in rates can be more pronounced due to smaller numbers of births. It is therefore important to consider longer term trends, which demonstrate overall improvement. The MBRRACE UK report shows that babies in the most deprived areas and those from Black and Asian ethnic groups are still at higher risk of death.