A report on maternity care failures and infant deaths at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust is set to be released today.
The most extensive maternity review in NHS history, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, was initiated following concerns raised by Sarah and Jack Hawkins after the stillbirth of their daughter, Harriet, at Nottingham City Hospital in April 2016.
Despite an internal hospital review finding no clear fault, the couple, both employed by the trust, demanded an external investigation. In 2019, the external review highlighted numerous deficiencies at the trust and stated that Harriet’s death was likely preventable.
Subsequently, over 2,500 families and more than 800 staff members participated in the review process. The General Medical Council (GMC) and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) are currently probing the allegations. The report is scheduled to be unveiled at 11:45 am.
NUH has already paid substantial compensation and penalties, including a record £1.6 million fine in 2021 for maternity lapses resulting in the deaths of three infants.
A corporate manslaughter inquiry was launched by Nottinghamshire Police last year as part of a broader criminal probe into maternity shortcomings at NUH. The examination focused on issues at two maternity facilities managed by the trust – Nottingham City Hospital and the Queen’s Medical Centre.
Recently, two individuals, aged 55 and 59, were arrested by Nottinghamshire Police in connection with alleged misconduct in the trust’s mortuary service. Both have been released on bail under strict conditions.
The General Medical Council (GMC) and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) are also investigating claims against NUH staff members.
The forthcoming Ockenden report will address suspected care deficiencies at the trust from 2012 to 2025. Its findings are expected to prompt national adjustments to care protocols.
In 2025, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust incurred a landmark fine for severe systemic failures that endangered the lives of three infants and their mothers.
The trust was fined £1.6 million following the deaths of Adele O’Sullivan, Kahlani Rawson, and Quinn Parker in 2021. Additionally, the trust had previously been fined £800,000 in 2023 after the passing of another infant, Wynter Andrews, in 2019, making it the first trust prosecuted by the Care Quality Commission more than once.
The failings exposed Daniela O’Sullivan, Ellise Rawson, and Emmie Studencki, along with their infants, to significant risk. District Judge Grace Leong condemned the trust’s “avoidable” failures in the maternity unit.
Sarah Hawkins, a senior physiotherapist, and her husband Jack, a hospital consultant, experienced tragic circumstances during the birth of their daughter, Harriet, in 2016. Despite repeated attempts to seek help from the maternity unit, they were advised to stay home. Harriet was found to have passed away upon admission after days of labor.
Today marks a challenging day for numerous families involved in the largest-ever NHS maternity inquiry, set to disclose the extent of avoidable harm at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust between 2012 and 2025.
Over 2,500 families have contributed their experiences to the review led by Donna Ockenden, known for her prior inquiry in Shropshire involving 1,500 families. Families are gathering in central Nottingham to hear the findings, presented by Ms. Ockenden at 11:45 am.
The report will be distributed to families and media, with a presentation lasting about an hour. Main findings and reactions from affected families will be shared.
The Government’s maternity adviser has stressed the need for “systematic change” in maternity care. Labour MP Michelle Welsh emphasized the urgency for bold policy changes due to the systemic failures that put lives at risk during childbirth.
Efforts are being made to address these issues head-on and push for substantial reforms in maternity care practices.