Upskill Health

A mobile-based training platform that delivers bite-sized learning for NHS maternity staff. 

Problem 

NHS maternity services are under significant pressure. Around 65% of trusts do not meet national maternity safety standards, contributing to £1.3 billion in annual negligence costs and reduced trust between women and the NHS. 

Major inquiries, including the Ockenden Report, and ongoing safety investigations have identified poor staff training as a key cause of preventable harm. Although hundreds of investigations are completed each year, their findings often do not reach frontline staff, meaning the same issues continue to occur. 

The NHS England Maternal Care Bundle (published January 2026) aims to address this by focusing on five key clinical risks and requiring trusts to act on existing evidence. Its rollout from 2027 will require significant workforce training and support. 

However, current training methods are not effective. Face-to-face sessions and simulations take staff away from clinical duties, while e-learning often lacks engagement. With ongoing staff shortages and limited resources, many trusts struggle to deliver training, leading to a growing and widely recognised gap in compliance. 

Solution  

Upskill.Health was created to close the gap between what we know goes wrong in NHS maternity care and how that learning reaches frontline staff, helping prevent repeated mistakes. 

Upskill is a mobile-first, gamified training platform that delivers short, curriculum-aligned sessions for maternity staff. Each session takes 5–10 minutes and can be completed during shifts, without needing extra rota cover. 

The platform combines app-based learning (similar to Duolingo) with AI-powered roleplay and immersive technologies such as VR and 360° video to create engaging training experiences. 

Training content is built around real-life case studies, reflecting women’s perinatal journeys. Working with safety investigation teams and local communities, Upskill uses real examples of where care has fallen short to create practical, relevant learning for staff. 

The platform is designed with input from frontline teams and trust leaders, helping protect short training time within shifts without disrupting care. 

A linked dashboard provides real-time tracking and simple reporting, giving managers clear visibility of staff engagement and training completion for regulators and commissioners. 

Impact 

Upskill.Health delivers clear benefits for three key NHS groups: 

• NHS trusts: The platform reduces the cost and disruption of training. Avoiding a single training day saves around £250 per Band 6 midwife, with significant savings across a whole workforce. It also provides clear, auditable records of training linked to national standards, supporting CQC inspections and CNST Maternity Incentive Scheme requirements. 
   

• Frontline staff: Short, on-shift training is easier to access than traditional study days. Many NHS staff currently struggle to access training when needed. Upskill offers relevant, real-world learning based on safety investigations and women’s experiences. Mobile access, interactive learning, and AI roleplay help build practical skills that improve decision-making in clinical settings. 
   

• Women and babies: Better-trained staff help reduce repeated mistakes and improve safety. Upskill focuses on real, preventable harms identified across the NHS, supporting safer care while helping teams meet new national standards. 

Find out more about Upskill Health on their website