Nottingham’s maternity scandal: review set to be largest in NHS history

The investigation into failings at Nottingham’s University Hospitals is set to be the largest in the history of the NHS.

The Chair of the NUH, Nick Carter, and the head of the independent review into its services, Donna Ockenden, are set to address a public meeting at the Nottingham Trent University campus.

Over 1700 families are expected to have come forward, highlighting their experiences which resulted in hundreds of babies dying or being left with serious injuries.

Bereaved parents Dr Jack and Sarah Hawkins, Gary and Sarah Andrews, Ama and Sharma Maduako, Kim Errington and Natalie Needham will also attend the meeting.

Originally, Mr Carver was going to make a public apology on behalf of the trust at the meeting – but several families suggested that any apology needed to be “meaningful” and at the right time.

Mr Carver said: “For too long we have failed to listen to women and families who have been affected by failings in our maternity services. This ‘brick wall’ has caused additional pain, and this must change.

“Families should not have to fight to get the answers they deserve, and we are committed to gaining their trust, and the trust of all our communities by listening and engaging with them.

He added: “We recognise there will be families who haven’t had the chance to come forward yet and we will want their views on how we go about putting things right for them too. We agree with the families when they tell us that engagement with them will help us make sustainable improvements to our maternity services.”

Ms Ockenden, who previously led the probe into services in Shropshire, said the meeting will be “the start of a journey for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust”.

She said: “There needs to be rebuilding of the trust between its maternity services, families who use those services and the many families who we know have been avoidably harmed when using the Trust’s maternity services.”

“The Trust has made a commitment today to walk a new path, listening to families and acting upon what they are told. The journey can’t be completed overnight. It is a long journey and needs to happen one step at a time.

“As Chair of the Independent Review into Maternity Services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust I want to reiterate what a privilege it is for my team and I to be trusted by so many hundreds of local families.

“My promise today is the same promise I made on the first day of the review in September 2022: as an independent review team we will do absolutely everything we can to ensure that every voice is heard, that no one is left behind and not heard, and finally that what families tell us will, without a doubt, contribute to making maternity services safer and more inclusive for all families in Nottinghamshire.”