‘Horrific’ maternity care failings at Nottingham NHS trust prompt calls for public inquiry

A three-year review has exposed horrific failings in maternity care at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS trust, resulting in harm or death for 520 mothers and babies. The report, covering the period between 2012 and 2025, concluded that these outcomes were "potentially avoidable."

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the nature and scale of the failings exposed by Donna Ockenden’s report on maternity services at Nottingham University hospitals NHS trust (NUH) between 2012 and 2025 were “horrific” and “chilling”.

Health Secretary James Murray described the scale of the failures as "horrific" and "chilling," stating that families experienced "dangerously and tragically deficient care at almost every turn." He expressed being "devastated" and "heartbroken" by the report's detailed account of "neglect, incompetence, racism, discrimination, contempt and harassment."

Donna Ockenden, the maternity safety expert who led the review, detailed instances of dangerously poor and sometimes "cruel" care at the trust's two hospitals. She found routine understaffing, a failure to learn from patient safety incidents, and widespread bullying among staff.

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Families suffered “dangerously and tragically deficient care at almost every turn” and “the NHS failed them catastrophically”.

In response, the Nottingham Maternity Families group, representing around 600 affected families, has urged the government to establish a statutory public inquiry into maternity and neonatal care across the entire NHS. They believe that consistent safe care can only be achieved when the full truth is known. The government is considering this request, with Murray stating that "nothing should be taken off the table at this stage."

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Multiple” women experienced dangerously poor and sometimes “cruel” care there, understaffing was routine, lessons from patient safety incidents were not learned, and bullying by “intimidating cliques” of staff was rife.

While not all affected families agree on a public inquiry, they are united in their desire for accountability and significant changes in maternity services to ensure women's concerns are heard. The review also examined the deaths of 31 newborn babies and identified failures in care that may have impacted outcomes in six cases, including delays in scans and staff not acting promptly on concerns.

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When I’ve been talking to families, some want a public inquiry, others take a different view, but what unites all of the families I spoke to is a desire for accountability and a desire to see change happen in the way maternity services are delivered so that women are listened to.