Senior midwife appointed to review maternity failings at scandal-hit NHS trust says ‘clearly something is very, very wrong’ happening there

• Donna Ockenden is investigating Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Ms Ockenden famously investigated the Shrewsbury maternity care scandal 
• In comments today she said it is clear something is ‘very wrong’ at the trust
• She was appointed after 100 mothers wrote to Health Secretary Sajid Javid
• The women were worried about the independent of the previous review into care

The senior midwife leading an independent probe into maternity failings at a scandal-hit hospital trust today claimed something is ‘very, very wrong’ happening there.

Donna Ockenden was yesterday appointed to investigate services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH).

She produced the landmark report on Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which revealed 201 babies and nine mothers had died needlessly during a two-decade spell of appalling care.

Her appointment came after fierce backlash at the health service’s previous review, which critics feared wasn’t truly independent.   

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Ockenden said: ‘What I know at the moment is that there are so many families who have been through, for the most of us anyway, unimaginable grief.

‘And of course the pain they will have suffered through the loss of their babies will have been compounded by having to push for effective investigations or inquiries.

‘So the first priority has got to be to listen to and engage with families.’

Invited to comment on the failings at the trust, Ms Ockenden told the BBC it was clear something is wrong.

‘I’m not yet familiar with the situation in the trust, but… there is clearly something that is very, very wrong at the trust,’ she said. 

Donna Ockenden, who produced the landmark report on Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, is now chairing a review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals. In comments today she said ‘there is clearly something that is very, very wrong at the trust’

At least nine babies and three mothers are believed to have died over the past three years at NUH, which runs 15 hospitals in the Midlands. Pictured: Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham

A statement on behalf of families affected said: ‘We cannot describe the immense sense of relief that we feel at the news that Donna Ockenden has been appointed to conduct the review into maternity services in Nottingham.

‘We’d like to thank the Rt Hon Sajid Javid for finally listening to us after many years of campaigning by the families affected by failures of care.

‘Donna Ockenden’s appointment is a significant step towards restoring confidence in Nottingham maternity services. 

‘We are confident that she will conduct a robust review to ensure the scale of failings at NUH are recognised and essential improvements are made.

‘Improvements that will protect future babies and mothers from death and harm. Improvements that will ensure women are properly listened to. 

‘Improvements that will guarantee staff have the right qualifications, training, and skills. 

‘Improvements that will create a new culture of transparency, openness, and willingness to learn from mistakes.

‘This signals the start of the next stage in the journey where families can now stop fighting and instead dedicate their strength, knowledge, and experiences to uncover the truth and improve maternity service for the people of Nottingham.’

It comes after the Care Quality Commission issued a safety warning notice, saying NUH must make ‘significant and immediate improvements’ to its maternity services as it admitted women and babies may not be safe.  

‘The service did not have enough staff to care for women and keep them safe,’ the notice reads. 

At least nine babies and three mothers are believed to have died over the past three years at the trust, which runs 15 hospitals in the Midlands. 

It has already paid out millions of pounds over 30 baby deaths and 46 infants who were left brain damaged.

Ms Ockenden also urged women who are due to use maternity services at the trust to speak up if they have concerns.

However, she added they should feel confident the enhanced scrutiny on the trust could only be positive.

Ms Ockenden stated she knew many members of the midwifery staff at Nottingham University Trust go into work giving ‘their very best’.

And she insisted the UK is still one of the safest places in the world to have a baby, adding: ‘That’s my belief and the evidence does show that.’

Some 100 mothers urged Sajid Javid to appoint Ms Ockenden in April — but the NHS initially opted for senior NHS manager Julie Dent.

Families said they were ‘severely let down, confused, and further traumatised’. They raised concerns about the independence of the old review — which was first set up in August last year.

Ms Dent quit at the start of this month citing ‘personal reasons’.

Ex-Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt earlier this week claimed the Department of Health had scored ‘an own goal’ in not appointing Ms Ockenden earlier. 

He suggested that Mr Javid’s department thought ‘she is too independent’. 

Ms Ockenden’s team will start their inquiry as soon as possible with new terms of reference.

The previous, now abandoned review, covered almost 600 cases. It was expected to be completed in November this year.

It looked at data from 2006, when the NUH trust was formed, until mid-October 2021 and was set up by the local clinical commissioning group (CCG) and NHS England.

But NHS England yesterday published its interim findings.      

It raised concerns about a lack of respect and bullying between members of staff and towards parents.   

‘[There is] evidence of a lack of respect, appreciation and listening by some staff members in relation to their colleagues and to service users with some indications of bullying behaviour,’ it read.  

‘There appears to be a small number of staff who display unacceptable behaviours such as being “rude” and “abrasive”, with some staff members describing being “scared” of named colleagues.’

Sharon Wallis, director of midwifery at NUH, said the trust was determined to make changes as quickly as possible. 

‘Our teams are working hard to make the necessary improvements but recognise we have more to do and are absolutely determined to speed up the pace of change and deliver quality services for women and their families,’ she said.

A spokesperson for the affected families said yesterday they ‘cannot describe the immense sense of relief’ they feel at Ms Ockenden’s appointment. 

‘We’d like to thank the Rt Hon Sajid Javid for finally listening to us after many years of campaigning by the families affected by failures of care,’ they said. 

‘Donna Ockenden’s appointment is a significant step towards restoring confidence in Nottingham maternity services. 

‘We are confident that she will conduct a robust review to ensure the scale of failings at NUH are recognised and essential improvements are made.’

Ms Ockenden’s damning report of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust earlier this year showed mothers were made to have natural births despite the fact they should have been offered a Caesarean at the hospital. 

The review found around 200 babies and nine mothers could have survived if it had provided better care while the trust’s low Caesarean rate was regarded nationally and locally as a positive.

In the review, she found the trust presided over catastrophic failings for 20 years — and did not learn from its own inadequate investigations — which led to babies being stillborn, dying shortly after birth or being left severely brain damaged.

The Shrewsbury and Telford inquiry found some babies suffered skull fractures, broken bones or developed cerebral palsy after traumatic forceps deliveries, while others were starved of oxygen and experienced life-changing brain injuries.

The report said midwifery staff were ‘overly confident’ in their abilities, and there was a reluctance to involve more senior staff.

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