Babies and mothers died after 'systemic and sustained' failings, largest NHS maternity review finds
Summary
A major review found that over 500 mothers and babies were harmed or died due to failures at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust's maternity department. The review, led by Donna Ockenden, revealed long-standing problems that hospital leaders ignored, including poor care, staffing shortages, and a harmful culture.Key Facts
- More than 500 mothers and babies suffered avoidable harm or died due to failures at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
- The review was the largest maternity inquiry in NHS history and started in 2022.
- At least 260 babies' outcomes might have been different with better care; 155 babies died and 105 had serious injuries.
- Problems dated back to at least 2010, including staff shortages and lack of training.
- Hospital leaders knew about serious issues but failed to act on them.
- Staff sometimes treated women cruelly and did not always ask for their consent during labor.
- The government plans to enforce stronger rules requiring NHS staff to cooperate with maternity reviews or face penalties.
- Around 2,500 families and over 800 staff contributed to the inquiry, but some senior leaders refused to take part.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.