Mothers forced to give birth on crumbling NHS wards riddled with water leaks, sewage spills and collapsing ceilings
Thousands of women have had maternity care disrupted by water leaks, sewage spills and collapsing ceilings in NHS hospitals
Thousands of women have had maternity care disrupted by water leaks, sewage spills and collapsing ceilings in NHS hospitals, a report has found.
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Nearly 15,000 incidents delayed or interrupted care across maternity and neonatal units in England over three years.
The NHS England review found more than 5,300 water or sewage leaks between April 2020 and March 2023, alongside almost 3,000 heating or ventilation failures.
In over 1,100 cases, care had to be paused because patient safety or dignity was compromised.
Almost half of England’s 120 NHS trusts with maternity services failed to meet basic health and safety standards.
Around 50 hospitals needed major repairs, while eight were judged at serious risk of imminent breakdown.
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At Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire, a ceiling leak was temporarily managed using a hose draining water into a wheelie bin.
The leak partly blocked a maternity corridor for around six weeks - before the area flooded again shortly after repairs were completed.
A separate leak at the hospital had previously forced the closure of a corridor linking the delivery suite and operating theatres, meaning women needing emergency treatment had to be taken on a longer route.
One member of staff said windows "regularly failed to open or close", with towels rolled up and used to block winter draughts.
At Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, new mother Caroline Millin-Brawn said women were left “begging” for fans after faulty heating pumped hot air into the postnatal ward during warm weather.
Ms Millin-Brawn, who had recently undergone a planned caesarean section, said she was "sweating and drinking large amounts of water to stay cool".
She said a friend brought in a fan from home, calling it a “lifesaver”, while other mothers became distressed by the heat.
The Royal College of Midwives said some staff were working in ageing units “crumbling down while women are giving birth”.
Dr Alison Wright, from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, warned leaks and faulty call bells could delay urgent care - including access to caesarean sections.
The Government said it had invested £271m in maternity and neonatal safety schemes since April 2025, with a further £1.5bn announced for NHS buildings and facilities.
The Department of Health and Social Care said: “These figures from 2020-23 are sadly not surprising and show the terrible state of the NHS estate that this government inherited. Patients and staff in maternity units deserved much better for far too long.
“That is why this government has invested £271m since April 2025 into schemes related to critical safety risks in the maternity and neonatal estate and recently announced more than £1.5bn to improve NHS buildings and facilities.
“We know there is a long way to go, but we have backed the health service with a record capital budget for health, rising to £15bn in 2029-30, and our 10 Year Capital Plan will put NHS investment on a long-term footing, and rebuild the health service for mothers, babies, and all the other patients who rely on it.”