Contact your MP today
Thank you for contacting your MP about our #NoMoreExcuses campaign. Here’s what to do:
Search for your local Member of Parliament:
If you live in England search here.
If you live in Scotland search here.
If you live in Northern Ireland search here.
If you live in Wales search here.
2. Use their email address to ask if you can meet them (suggested email copy below)
3. In preparation for the meeting download this overview document for more information on the background of the campaign and let us if you need any support: nikki@makebirthbetter.org
4. In the meeting you can ask for your MP’s help on any of the following:
They can share the #NoMoreExcuses petition on their social media or newsletter: https://www.change.org/p/no-excuses-pay-the-full-amount
They can ask a question in Parliament about why the funding for maternity and neonatal services falls so far short of the recommendations of the Health and Social Care Select Committee (2021) and the All Party Parliamentary Groups for Maternity and Baby Loss (2022). They both state that we need to increase funding to £200 - £350m per year with immediate effect.
They can contact NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care to raise their concerns about the gap in funding provisions (as above)
5. Follow up with your MP for an update - they will need chasing unfortunately!
Copy for your email
Dear [name],
I would like to book a meeting at your surgery session. Please can you let me know how to do this?
[Share some personal information about you relevant to birth/maternity/your local services]
I am a Make Birth Better supporter. Up to 40% of women and birthing people in the UK find their birth in some way traumatic. We are working to end suffering from birth trauma and make birth better, for all.
As you will know, the Bill Kirkup report was published on 19th October. It shared evidence of preventable death and avoidable harm affecting women, birthing people, babies and families in East Kent. This is the fifth separate investigation (2015-2022) to reveal such travesties.
At Make Birth Better we are demanding that the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Therese Coffey commits more money to maternity and neonatal services. The Donna Ockenden report and other reports from those including the Health and Social Care Select Committee and the All Party Parliamentary Groups for Maternity and Baby Loss have said that the budget for maternity services needs to be increased by £200–350m per annum with immediate effect.
The small amounts committed so far are not enough and I’d like your help in putting this demand to Parliament.
Please let me know when you can meet me to discuss this.
Many thanks,
[insert name]