Two individuals have been apprehended on suspicion of misconduct related to the management of mortuary services at a hospital trust involved in what is being termed the most significant maternity scandal in NHS history.
The arrests occurred shortly before the release of a comprehensive report on deficiencies at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust, scrutinizing over 2,500 instances involving mothers and infants who either passed away or suffered severe injuries.
According to Nottinghamshire Police, the two men, aged 55 and 59, were taken into custody on Monday in connection with the operational procedures within the trust’s mortuary service. NUH oversees mortuary services at Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital under a license granted by the Human Tissue Authority.
The enforcement action was undertaken by Operation Perth, Nottinghamshire Police’s initiative investigating maternity services at both medical facilities. The operation revealed violations of the Human Tissue Act regulations concerning the management and operational protocols of the mortuary services.
Nottinghamshire’s deputy chief constable, Rob Griffin, expressed acknowledgment of the distress this development may cause for families. He also noted the proximity of these events to the impending release of the independent maternity review led by Donna Ockenden, which will likely be a significant yet challenging period for affected families.
The report by senior midwife Donna Ockenden is scheduled for publication on Wednesday, highlighting appalling deficiencies in maternity care at Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital, including instances of racism towards mothers. The review scrutinized over 2,500 cases involving infants and mothers who died or sustained injuries, encompassing stillborn babies under the care of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The trust has already disbursed substantial compensation and fines due to legal actions over substandard care, while Nottinghamshire Police initiated a corporate manslaughter inquiry last year as part of a broader criminal investigation into maternity inadequacies at the trust.
The General Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council are also looking into allegations against individual staff members. Prior to the report’s release, the Nottingham Maternity Families Group urged former PM Keir Starmer to commission a statutory public inquiry into maternity care nationwide.
