Nottingham maternity review to examine 10 years of baby cases

A review examining failings by Nottingham's maternity services will consider cases going back at least 10 years, it has been announced.

Midwife Donna Ockenden was asked to lead the review after dozens of baby deaths and injuries at the city's two main hospitals.

The terms of reference for the review have now been set out.

The review will include clinical incidents where mothers and/or babies have "suffered severe harm or death".

Jack Hawkins, whose daughter Harriet was stillborn in 2016 after a series of failings, welcomed the terms of reference and believes they are "really going to achieve and do what needs to happen".

"It covers the range of harm that has happened to people in Nottingham, when they've attended the maternity service, from mums who've been harmed, sadly mums who died, babies who've been harmed and babies who died, it's the full breadth," he said.

"Then also a clear intention to find and talk to people who maybe left hospital fine but recognise that that was more by luck than quality care. So those people, we call it 'near misses'. That shouldn't have happened to you but fortunately you and your baby are fine."

The review will consider cases going back to 1 April 2012, and up to three months before the final report is published, which is expected to be in March 2024.

Cases may also be accepted dating back to 1 April 2016, if it is considered they will "add significantly" to the review's findings.

More than 350 families have already contacted the review team since it began on 1 September.

It replaced a smaller, locally-based review, which had been criticised by families and campaigners.

"The previous review I think had three people in it, in total, and that's why we needed to stop that review and get something proper," Mr Hawkins said.

"So there are 600-odd who contacted the previous team, and what would be great would be to have all those people."

He encouraged those people to contact the new review team if they had not done so already.

"It's a different review and the experience you'll have and the way you will be listened to will be very different," he said.

Ms Ockenden previously led an inquiry into the UK's biggest maternity scandal at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust.

In addition to Ms Ockenden, the review team consists of about 60 practising NHS maternity experts from across the country.

"We were thoughtful when we started campaigning to have Donna Ockenden and her team come," Mr Hawkins said.

He believes they will "give a really independent view of what happened, and whether it was good, indifferent or bad".

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has previously said it welcomes the review by Ms Ockenden and her team.

Chief nurse Michelle Rhodes said: "We are deeply sorry for the unimaginable distress that has been caused due to failings in our maternity services.

"We know that an apology will never be enough and we owe it to those who have been failed, those we're caring for today and to our staff to deliver a better maternity service for our communities."

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