Complaints & Legal Advice

If your birth trauma has been caused in part by poor care, then you might want to consider making a complaint or even taking legal action. You might also want to access your birth notes, either to find out more about your birth, or as a prelude to making a complaint or taking legal action.

Our detailed guides explain how the process works in each of the four countries of the UK: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

How do I make a complaint about my maternity care?

How do I take legal action against the hospital where I gave birth?

How do I access my birth notes?

Other resources

Another useful resource is the charity Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA), which has plenty of information about complaints and legal advice as well as template letters. It also has a free helpline where you can ask solicitors for advice: 0345 123 2352, Monday to Friday 10am to 3.30pm.

Understanding the fee structure used in medical negligence can be quite difficult, but AvMA have a helpful guide.

We are in the process of setting up a legal panel of trusted legal partners who can act in medical negligence cases, as well as offer pro bono advice in areas such as making a complaint. This will be launched in autumn 2024.

We sometimes hold legal clinics or Instagram Q&As with solicitors, where you can ask for advice on taking legal action. Keep an eye on our social media for details.

Join our Zoom meetings that are run by BTA and specialists in birth trauma

Zoom drop-ins

Our monthly Zoom drop-ins are currently on hold, but we hope to restart them soon. We do, however, run a monthly Zoom drop-in for dads, on the first Wednesday of each month, which is facilitated by Scott Mair of Fatherhood Solutions. You can book a place here and find out more about Scott’s work through his Instagram page here.