In a move welcomed as "important" by its chief executive, Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust now faces independent scrutiny on the orders of Westminster for its maternity services.

The decision comes as part of an ongoing government probe into "failures in the system" - but before the scrutiny of selected Trusts has even begun, many bereaved families have warned that Health Minister Wes Streeting's investigations are "not fit for purpose", while the UK's professional body for obstetricians and gynaecologists has warned that "real anxiety" will be felt among women, families and staff in Gloucestershire.

Last week, Gloucestershire's Trust was found by two external reviews to have handled nine neonatal cases where there were missed opportunities that could have potentially changed the outcome, for which the trust said it was deeply sorry.

The Trust finds itself among 14 in England which are now set for this rapid review of maternity care under the Minister, amid ongoing concerns over what he said are "inherited systemic problems in maternity and neonatal care dating back over 15 years".

Alongside our county, Yeovil District Hospital, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital and Oxford University Hospital will be investigated, as well as ten more elsewhere in England.

The move, hailed as urgently needed by the Royal College of Midwives, will be handled by Baroness Valerie Amos and, a Department of Health and Social Care statement said, "will put families at the heart of the work".

Baroness Amos said: "It is vital that the voices of mothers and families are at the heart of this investigation from the very beginning. Their experiences - including those of fathers and non-birthing partners - will guide our work and shape the national recommendations we will publish."

She added that particular attention will be paid to to the inequalities faced by Black and Asian women and by families from marginalised groups, whose voices have too often been overlooked.

Affected families are being asked to provide input to the draft terms of reference of the investigation, which "have been developed to focus on understanding the experiences of affected women and families, identifying lessons learned and driving the improvements needed to ensure high quality and safe maternity and neonatal care across England".

Ahead of any findings, a package of immediate actions to improve care, is alreadybeing implemented, including an easier pathway forthe Secretary of State and NHS Chief Executive to hold failing trusts to account.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: "Bereaved families have shown extraordinary courage in coming forward to help inform this rapid national investigation alongside Baroness Amos.

"What they have experienced is devastating, and their strength will help protect other families from enduring what they have been through."

He added that NHS maternity and neonatal workers want the best for these mothers and babies and that the vast majority of births are safe and without incident, but that he could not "turn a blind eye to failures in the system".

He said: "Every single preventable tragedy is one too many. Harmed and bereaved families will be right at the heart of this investigation to ensure no-one has to suffer like this again."

Ahead of the probe, the government said that independent reviews of a range of services had established "a pattern of similar failings: women's voices ignored, safety concerns overlooked, and poor leadership creating toxic cultures".

The investigation is scheduled to conclude next spring, but interim recommendations are promised for December 2025, while the 14 investigations will be based on a range of criteria including data and metrics, the CQC maternity patient survey and MBRRACE-UK perinatal mortality rates, as well as further criteria "to determine a diverse mix of trusts".

Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England said: "This independent investigation is a crucial step in driving meaningful change in maternity and neonatal care, and the diverse range of trusts selected - including where previous investigations have taken place to incorporate learnings- will provide valuable insight to help teams across the country improve care for women, babies and families.

She added: "I want to reassure women and families that staff are continuing to work hard to provide the best possible care and want to do everything they can to support them - we would encourage them talk to their midwives and maternity teams if they have any concerns."

The investigation will also run alongside a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce - set up and chaired by Mr Streeting and made up of a panel of experts and families.

But the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has voiced immediate concern at the announcement.

Professor Ranee Thakar, RCOG President, said: "There is no doubt today's announcement will create real anxiety among women, families and staff at the fourteen Trusts selected. It is vital that the review process now brings everyone together with compassion, a commitment to transparency and appropriate support."

She added: "Too many women and babies are not getting the safe, compassionate care they deserve and the maternity workforce is on its knees, with staff leaving the profession. The RCOG is committed to working with the government, our members and women to support the investigation and to re-build a world-class maternity system."

Kevin McNamara, Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was also quick to issue a statement.

He said: "We fully support this important review and are committed to working openly and constructively with the review team, and we will ensure that we continue to build on the improvements we have made over the last year working with mothers and families."

The Trust underlined how recent maternity data published by NHS England showed how it "continues to perform well against key national safety indicators". In the past two years, it has been focusing heavily on improving governance, electronic access to maternity notes, and enhanced risk assessments, as well as working on extensive recruitment of midwives and obstetricians.

While Mr McNamara acknowledged that there was more to be done, he said the Trust was "absolutely committed to completing the improvement journey we have already started," and added: "We want to reassure our patients, staff, and the wider community that we remain dedicated to transparency and continuous improvement.

"We are listening to the voices of families and staff and see this review as a valuable part of our journey to ensure every woman, birthing person, baby, and family receives the care they deserve and we will continue to engage openly with our communities throughout this process.

"We understand this may cause concern for some in our local community and we are keen to offer support and to answer any questions people may have. Our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is available to all on 0800 019 3282 or email ghn-tr.pals.gloshospitals@nhs.net."

He added: "Our priority is to provide safe, person-centred care to our mums and babies. We support any review that will help us and other NHS Trusts learn from each other and help ensure the safest care for our families."