Michelle Baynham
23 Feb 2026
If you gave birth in February 2026, or you’re currently pregnant with a due date in that month, there’s an important opportunity coming your way — and it could help make maternity care better for you and other families.
Later this spring, NHS hospital trusts across England will start inviting people who used maternity services to take part in the 2026 National Maternity Survey run by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). This is an annual survey that gives you a chance to tell the NHS what worked well — and what didn’t — during your pregnancy, birth and postpartum care.
🧠 Why your feedback matters
The CQC collects this feedback to:
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Understand real experiences of antenatal care, labour and birth, and postnatal care.
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Spot trends and patterns across different NHS trusts, so areas needing improvement can be acted on.
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Highlight what’s working well so good practice can be shared more widely.
Your voice helps shape how maternity services support families — from how information is communicated to how care decisions are made to ensuring dignity and respect throughout the whole journey.
📝 What to expect
If you’re eligible, you’ll receive a letter from your NHS hospital trust with details on how to complete the survey — either online or on paper. It’s confidential, anonymous and completely voluntary.
The survey covers questions like:
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Did staff listen to you and take your concerns seriously?
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Were you able to make choices about your care?
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Did you get the help and information you needed?
💪 Make your experience count
Whether your care was exceptional or you think improvements are needed, your input helps drive positive change. The results will be published later in the year — and used to inform better support for future families.
Look out for your invitation and make sure you take part — because your story matters.
Michelle Baynham
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