A comprehensive examination of maternity care shortcomings and infant fatalities at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust is set to be released today.
The most extensive maternity review in the history of the NHS, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, was initiated following concerns raised by Sarah and Jack Hawkins after the stillbirth of their daughter Harriet at Nottingham City Hospital in April 2016.
Despite an internal hospital review indicating no apparent negligence, the couple, both NUH employees, demanded an external investigation. The subsequent inquiry in 2019 highlighted numerous deficiencies within the trust and determined that Harriet’s death was highly likely preventable.
Subsequently, over 2,500 families and more than 800 staff members have provided testimony to the review. The General Medical Council (GMC) and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) are conducting investigations into the allegations. The publication of the review is scheduled for 11:45 am.
NUH has already disbursed substantial amounts in compensations and penalties, including a record £1.6 million fine in 2021 for maternity care lapses resulting in the deaths of three infants.
Nottinghamshire Police initiated a corporate manslaughter inquiry last year within a broader criminal probe into maternity care deficiencies at NUH, focusing on the two maternity units operated by the trust – Nottingham City Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre.
Recently, two individuals, aged 55 and 59, were arrested by Nottinghamshire Police in connection with alleged misconduct in the trust’s mortuary services. Both have been released on bail under strict conditions.
The General Medical Council (GMC) and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) are also investigating claims against specific NUH staff members.
The forthcoming Ockenden report will address suspected care inadequacies at the trust spanning from 2012 to 2025. Its revelations are anticipated to drive nationwide modifications in care protocols.
In 2025, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust faced a record penalty for “serious and systemic” shortcomings that jeopardized the safety of three infants and their mothers.
Moreover, the trust was fined £1.6 million after the deaths of Adele O’Sullivan, Kahlani Rawson, and Quinn Parker in 2021 while under NUH’s care. Previously, NUH was fined £800,000 in 2023 following the demise of Wynter Andrews in 2019, becoming the first trust prosecuted more than once by the Care Quality Commission.
The report will shed light on the magnitude of avoidable harm at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust from 2012 to 2025, potentially prompting substantial changes in maternity care practices.
Furthermore, it is crucial to address the pressing need for “systematic change” in maternity care, as highlighted by the Government’s maternity adviser, Michelle Welsh, emphasizing the imperative for bold policy alterations rather than incremental adjustments to resolve the crisis effectively.
