Families affected by the Nottingham maternity scandal have called for more accountability, ahead of the trust’s annual public meeting (APM).
The largest inquiry of its kind in NHS history is currently under way into care given to thousands of families at the Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust, which runs maternity departments at City Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre.
Campaigners have expressed concern that after two years of investigation, no-one at the trust has been “investigated, sanctioned, disciplined, or dismissed”.
NUH said it was to make five commitments to improve the service, including a liaison service, funding ongoing psychological support and working with families on future policy.
The review is examining nearly 2,000 cases – involving the death or severe harming of a baby or mother – in a 10-year period from 2012.
Led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, it was launched in September 2022 and campaigners are using this anniversary and the APM to press for further action.
The first hour of Wednesday’s meeting will be dedicated to the maternity review.
Jack and Sarah Hawkins, whose daughter Harriet died in the womb at Nottingham City Hospital in April 2016, have been involved in the campaign for years.
“As families, we want to know why there has been no accountability,” they said in a statement.
“We are clear there has been harm caused by individuals.
“That harm is both clinical failures and also failures to be open and honest to explain what has really happened.
“We cannot fathom how no-one has been investigated, sanctioned, disciplined, or dismissed given the experiences we have had and have made clear to NUH.”
‘Lasting legacy’
The trust said the new liaison service would provide women and families with a single point of contact after any distressing experience during their maternity and neonatal care.
It is due to be launched later this year.
Other commitments include working with families to agree a full apology for the failings in maternity services, and also develop an approach for oversight in implementing the report’s recommendations.
There will also be work on a “lasting legacy” for those harmed in the departments, as well as the psychological support to last beyond the publication of the final report.
NUH chief executive Anthony May said: “These commitments are part of our efforts to improving maternity services and to engage constructively with women and families.
“I know there is much more to do but we are committed to listening and learning, and to turning feedback into action.
“I should like to pay tribute to the families that have been kind enough to share their experiences with me, to Donna Ockenden for her ongoing independent maternity review, and to my colleagues in maternity for their hard work, day-in, day-out.”