Health Minister Edwina Hart welcomed the publication of Healthcare Inspectorate Wales' reports on reviews into maternity and community and mental health services at Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust.

The Maternity Services Review was prompted by concerns about the higher than expected number of maternal deaths which were drawn to the attention of HIW during their all Wales review of maternity services in 2007. The Leadership and Management of Community and Mental Health Services Review was prompted by the findings from an earlier review of Learning Disabilities, the emerging findings from the all Wales review of maternity services, and concerns Mrs Hart expressed in the Senedd in May 2008.

The reports aim to assure the Minister, staff and the public that services are safe and that measures are in place to further improve the services for the benefit of patients and staff. The Minister believes the reports achieve that.

"Midwives raised concerns with me directly on a visit the new Assembly Government-funded unit at the Royal Gwent Hospital last year. They had concerns over staffing and management of the service. This, together with the concerns highlighted by HIW in a previous review, resulted in a review of maternity services, and following initial feedback from HIW, the Trust's maternity services were put into special measures…