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A former MP has called for senior midwife Donna Ockenden to be appointed as a national maternity commissioner with powers to hold NHS leaders to account.

The calls come amid concerns that recommendations from previous maternity reviews have not been fully implemented, with campaigners and families arguing stronger oversight is needed to improve safety across England's maternity services.

Health Secretary James Murray announced the creation of a maternity commissioner, after the latest publication of Valerie Amos's report on maternity care.

"I personally think a candidate of the quality of Donna Ockenden would be the right fit. I think it's important that someone like her, who has a background as a midwife and understands the NHS, but also has the trust of families [is appointed]," said Theo Clarke, former MP for Stafford.

She said the role should have statutory powers to compel NHS managers and other witnesses to provide evidence, arguing that meaningful change would be difficult without stronger accountability.

"The reason why this appointment is so incredibly important is that there are 748 recommendations from previous inquiries into maternity, which have not been implemented in the last 10 years."

Clarke claimed that more money is now spent on compensation for maternity negligence than on frontline maternity services.

"The statistic that still shocks me the most is that it is, we are spending more money on the maternity negligence bill, so compensation pay-outs to mothers who've been treated badly by the NHS, than we actually are on the frontline care for maternity services in this country.

"That is wrong and it needs to change,"

Clarke said maternity care should become a greater priority for government, arguing that investment in services would improve outcomes for women and babies, while reducing long-term costs.

She also called for a more joined-up approach to maternity services, including closer integration of midwifery training and healthcare.

"We talk about a national health service, but in maternity it's actually not a national approach and I think there seems to be a rivalry on the floor between doctors, obstetricians and midwives in different roles."

The MP argued that maternity services should no longer be overlooked in government spending decisions because "everyone is born", making safe maternity care a universal issue affecting every family.

"In some ways, I'm hopeful that the government is finally talking about this and we are starting to get traction by people like the Health Secretary making the announcement this week to have Maternity Commissioner.

"But likewise we've got to have more investment in the NHS, and particularly into maternity care, and ultimately that's about the government and prioritization of resources.

"I personally feel that women's health has been ignored for far too long," Clarke said.

Her comments are backed by others involved in the discussion, like Rhiannon Davies, who said women's health and maternity services should be treated as a national priority rather than being addressed through local initiatives alone.

Davies, campaigned for a review into maternity failings in Shrewsbury and Telford after the avoidable death of her daughter Kate in 2009. She said the proposed appointment of a maternity commissioner would "focus minds".

Her daughter Kate died on 1 March, 2009 at just six hours old. Her mum had explained to midwives she wasn't moving as much in the days leading up to the birth, but she was told she had a "lazy baby".

When she was born at Ludlow community hospital, Kate was in respiratory distress and airlifted to Birmingham Children's Hospital. Her mother collapsed and was sent to hospital in Worcester, 30 miles away. She was away from her daughter when she died.

Davies, who now lives in Herefordshire said: "No report is ever going to be 100% perfect and no family is ever going to be 100% happy because we live with the trauma that we've been through."

The report made some good points and was especially strong on the need for parents to be listened to, Davies said.

"That's a fundamental shift in thinking and one I wholeheartedly welcome because that alone would have saved Kate."

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