The campaigner asked Health Minister Wes Streeting’s commitment to maternal safety as his department lowered the funding level.

Nearly £100 million is used to improve the safety of pregnant women in an interim report released by the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust. But changes from the Ministry of Health mean that only £2 million of funds can be used for maternal care this year.

Rhiannon Davies, who lost his daughter due to poor care for the trust fund, called the decision “an absolute betrayal of Wes on the streets.”

The Ministry of Health said local health leaders will get funding to decide how best to spend money.

The Royal Midwife described the funding decision as bringing “battery balls” to maternal safety.

A review of maternal care by the Shrewsbury and Telford Trust, published in 2022, found that at least 201 babies and nine mothers could survive better care.

After the release of the interim report in March 2021, NHS England said it would increase spending on maternal care by £95 million a year.

At the time, it said the money would be used to hire up to 1,000 midwives and about 80 consulting obstetricians.

Some of the money will also be used to allow consultants to train with midwifes – key recommendations for the preliminary report of senior midwife Donna Ockenden, as well as allocating funds for the NHS to recruit from overseas.

However, the Journal of Health Services' analysis of NHS funding this year shows that out of £95 million in 2025/26, only £2 million is £2 million.

The remaining money will be handed over to 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) that decide how to allocate health services funds locally throughout England.

In response to the change, Ms Ockenden posted on social media: "What's going on? It's disappointing. Talking to colleagues in perinatal service, the feeling of disappointment is profound."

If ICBS decides to allocate their money to maternity care, then there will be no cuts to the funds.

However, some maternal staff marked the change as disastrous, fearing that taking away funding protection would mean a reduction in maternal budgets.

"Removing the ring will take us for a few years," said a senior midwife.

The Royal Midwife College said it was a street decision "completely shocked" and added that it was "short-sighted" and "completely unacceptable".

"These budget cuts … will make the heart insufficient to improve maternal safety," said CEO Gill Walton.

“The government has brought a sabotage ball to work nationwide to improve the safety of pregnant women, which is urgently needed.”

Rhiannon Davies, along with Kayleigh Griffiths, helped conduct the Shrewsbury investigation, and he was also critical of the health minister.

The money, she wrote, is to ensure that others avoid the lifelong pain that must be endured without children”.

The Ministry of Health and Social Care said maternal care remains a top priority for health services.

It said in a statement: “The same level of funding is still being provided as part of the broader ICB allocation, which makes local healthcare leaders (those who are most capable of deciding how to serve their local communities).

“We are well aware that too many women are not getting the safe, personalized and compassionate maternal care they deserve, but through our change program, the government is determined to change that.”

The department said this will help hospital trusts make rapid improvements and train thousands of midwives.