NHS England has announced a £127 million funding boost for maternity services that will help ensure safer and more personalised care for women and their babies.

The NHS said that the major investment will boost the workforce and help improve the culture in maternity units.

Of the total funding, more than £50 million will be provided to NHS trusts across the country over the next two years to boost staffing numbers in maternity and neonatal services. Approximately £34 million will also be invested in local maternity systems, in culture and leadership development programmes and in supporting staff retention roles.

Additionally, £45 million of capital funding will be available to hospitals over the next three years to increase the number neonatal cots across England, so that babies will receive the best quality care, in the most appropriate clinical setting.

Jaqueline Dunkley-Bent, NHS England’s Chief Midwifery Officer, said: “Midwives have a rewarding, important and privileged role, and this new funding will be vital in providing them with a continuous improvement process that that supports them personally and professionally, to enhance the quality of care for women and babies. We want the NHS to be the safest place in the world to give birth and this funding will help us to do this.”

The new funding builds upon the £95 million package of support for maternity services in England announced last year to boost maternity workforce numbers with 1,300 new roles- 1200- midwives and 100 obstetricians -alongside more training, development and leadership programmes.

NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: “This new multi-million pound funding will build on the significant steps we’ve taken in recent years to transform the care for pregnant women and their babies. We will not hesitate in taking further action to learn, improve and ensure that all women who use maternity services receive the best care possible.”