Mr Murray said he had been left “aghast” by the horrific failings exposed in the report, including the handling of the bodies of dead babies.
The Health Secretary told the Commons: “I met a small number of those affected families last week. I felt numb after hearing the depth of their pain. I felt devastated that so many women and babies, as well as their fathers and other family members, had suffered injury, death and lasting trauma whilst under the care of the NHS.
“Now, having met the families and having seen the report, I feel appalled by the neglect, incompetence, racism, discrimination, contempt and harassment that so many suffered. I feel heartbroken to know that at so many times when they tried to raise the alarm about their care, they were ignored, sneered at, disbelieved, blamed and lied to.
“There is so much in the stories of the families of Nottingham that is shocking and heartbreaking, but the way the bodies of their loved ones were handled by hospital mortuary service revealed a level of disrespect and a lack of humanity that, I’ll be honest, left me utterly aghast.”
Mr Murray has announced the rollout of Martha’s Rule to all maternity units, meaning families can request a rapid review if a baby or mother’s condition is deteriorating and they are concerned staff are not responding to this.
He said too many families in Nottingham had suffered “horrendous care” on the NHS, as he promised the rollout of 24/7 access to a second opinion. The scheme was created after Martha Mills, 13, died of sepsis when her parents’ warnings were not acted on.
Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, said: “I am so sorry for the heartbreaking loss, grief and pain experienced by women and families at Nottingham.
“My thoughts are with those who have been harmed, bereaved or let down by the care they received. They have shown extraordinary courage in speaking up, and their voices must be at the centre of how the NHS responds.
“We’ve introduced new national clinical standards which are helping prevent harm and ensure women get urgent maternity care more quickly, and local leaders and staff in Nottingham are working hard to address these failings. However, this report shows the scale of what still needs to change.
“I know it can be worrying for women using maternity services, but please continue to speak to your midwife or maternity team if you have any concerns.”