Freedom of Information Request – Confidential Trust Board Paper, 10 February 2026

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s complaint response refers to a Confidential Trust Board meeting on 10 February 2026, where key papers appear to have been considered about the suspension of the home birth service, the options appraisal, and plans for restoration.

GMAG is requesting these documents because the public needs to understand what evidence was presented, what alternatives were considered, and why suspension was chosen over safer mitigated continuation of the service.

---

Dear Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,

Please treat this as a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I am requesting information relating to the Confidential Trust Board meeting held on or around 10 February 2026, which was referenced in the Trust’s complaint response dated 20 May 2026 regarding the suspension of the Gloucestershire NHS home birth service.

In that complaint response, the Trust refers to information considered by the Confidential Trust Board, including a formal options appraisal, restoration planning, and key enablers relating to the suspension and potential reinstatement of the home birth service.

Please provide the following:

1. The full report or paper considered by the Confidential Trust Board on 10 February 2026 in relation to the home birth service suspension.

2. All appendices, supporting papers, annexes or background documents attached to or considered alongside that report.

3. The formal options appraisal referred to in the complaint response.

4. Any minutes, action notes, decision records, recommendations or outcome records from the Confidential Trust Board meeting relating to:

   • the suspension of the home birth service;

   • options for mitigated continuation;

   • restoration or restart of the service;

   • staffing or safety concerns;

   • risk management;

   • consultation or engagement.

5. Any equality impact assessment, risk assessment, legal summary, human rights assessment, quality impact assessment, patient safety assessment, or governance summary attached to or considered alongside the Trust Board paper.

6. The restoration or restart plan considered by the Confidential Trust Board, including any timetable, criteria, milestones, workforce requirements or decision points for reinstating the home birth service.

7. The “key enablers” document or section referenced in the Trust’s complaint response.

8. Any paper, briefing, recommendation or summary explaining why full suspension of the home birth service was preferred over mitigated continuation, including but not limited to:

   • use of independent midwives;

   • mutual aid from neighbouring Trusts;

   • temporary additional staffing;

   • targeted restrictions rather than full suspension;

   • continuation for women already booked for home birth;

   • enhanced senior midwifery, consultant midwife, PMA or AEQUIP support;

   • any other alternative model considered.

I recognise that some of the information may contain sensitive material. However, I ask that the Trust apply appropriate redactions where necessary rather than withholding whole documents in full.

If the Trust seeks to rely on any exemption under the Freedom of Information Act, please identify clearly:

• which exemption is being relied upon;

• which specific document or section of a document the exemption applies to;

• why the exemption applies;

• whether the exemption is absolute or qualified;

• where applicable, the public interest factors considered for and against disclosure.

Given the significant public interest in the suspension of a lawful NHS maternity service, and the impact on women, babies, families, midwives, rural communities and maternity choice across Gloucestershire, I ask the Trust to disclose as much material as possible with proportionate redaction.

Please also confirm whether any of the requested documents are still in draft form, awaiting approval, or have since been superseded by later versions.

Yours faithfully,

Emma