The long wait for families affected by the investigation into maternity care at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust(“NUH”) will finally be over by September 2025.
Senior midwife Donna Ockenden was tasked in May 2022 with investigating incidents where serious harm was caused either to mother or baby during pregnancy or labour at NUH. This included stillbirth, neonatal deaths, brain damage acquired at birth, and severe maternal harm or maternal death. It has been reported that this investigation has involved almost 2,000 families.
The review came about after significant concerns were raised about the quality and safety of maternity services at Nottingham City Hospital and Queens Medical Centre (QMC) University Hospital, which are both run by the Trust. Many of these concerns were raised by local families who had been affected.
The review has therefore independently and thoroughly investigated cases of both serious and potentially serious concerns within the maternity services with the assistance of experienced doctors and midwives who do not have any connection with NUH.
In September 2025, the investigation will finally conclude by achieving its aim of identifying areas of concern and providing information and recommended actions to help improve the safety, quality and equity of maternity care. The review will also address how NUH handle the complaints that are raised by women and birthing people,their families and staff members.
Doubtless the completion of the review will bring relief for families who have had to shoulder the burden of grief for babies and family members whose severe harm or death could have been avoided.
Lauren Kerse, Associate Director and Specialist Medical Negligence Solicitor, observes: ‘Although the families involved will always carry the grief of having a loved one harmed in these circumstances, I hope the finalisation of the review will bring a sense of closure and that the lessons learned from their experiences will improve the future care mothers, birthing people and their babies receive.”
If you or a loved one have been impacted by the matters raised in this article and require support, please see the support links that has been collated by the Ockenden Maternity Review.
MDS is a specialist medical negligence law firm. We specialise in claims involving cancer, maternity claims,and cauda equina syndrome. Our expert solicitors represent clients all around England and Wales, and we are dedicated to helping people who have been injured by medical negligence.
Our solicitors have extensive experience of representing clients and their families whose lives have been affected by medical negligence during pregnancy and the birth of the child. Click here for further information concerning how we can help when mothers,birthing people and babies have been affected by medical negligence.
If you are concerned about any care that you or a member of your family has received, please contact our experienced team on 0116 254 7456 or email: enquiries@moosaduke.com. You can also enquire online by clicking here.
