Report resource
This report details an independent evaluation of the Maternity Incentive Scheme (MIS) undertaken by The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute (THIS Institute), University of Cambridge, between September 2024 and February 2025. Introduced in 2017, the MIS provides a financial incentive to NHS trusts providing maternity services in England to comply with 10 sets of activities relating to maternity and neonatal safety (‘Safety Actions’), developed by NHS Resolution with the Chief Midwifery Officer and the National Clinical Director for Maternity working in partnership with a Collaborative Advisory Group (CAG) of national-level bodies with an interest in maternity safety.
The evaluation examined the MIS towards the end of its sixth year, seeking to cast light on: the organisation of the Scheme at national level (including the process by which Safety Actions are selected and the intended impact of Safety Actions, individually and together, on the activities of provider trusts); and the experiences of stakeholders in trusts and organisations (e.g. integrated care boards) on how the MIS works in practice. This independent evaluation, commissioned by NHS Resolution and undertaken by THIS Institute, aims to complement other work underway at NHS Resolution to provide a holistic view of the impact of the MIS.
Download THIS Institute Maternity Incentive Scheme Qualitative Report
