The independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, has identified significant concerns relating to patient safety, clinical decision-making, and communication with families. The report concluded that hundreds of cases involved potentially avoidable harm.
The findings have prompted renewed scrutiny of maternity services at the Trust, as well as wider questions about how concerns raised by parents are responded to during pregnancy, labour, and birth.
For many families, the impact of maternity care failings extends far beyond the immediate medical outcome. Alongside grief and trauma, there is often a long-term need to understand what happened, whether different decisions could have changed the outcome, and why warning signs or concerns were not acted upon at the time.
Key Findings from the Review
The review examined a large number of maternity and neonatal cases at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and identified serious and repeated issues within care, including:
- 444 maternity cases identified as having potentially avoidable outcomes
- 76 neonatal cases also included within the review
- Around 260 cases where investigators indicated that different care may have led to different outcomes for babies who died or suffered harm
- Evidence of a workplace culture described as bullying and toxic
- Ongoing concerns that staff did not consistently respond to concerns raised by mothers and fathers
Taken together, the findings point to both individual clinical failings and wider systemic and cultural issues affecting the delivery of safe maternity care.
Concerns Raised by Families
Families affected by the issues at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust have described long-standing concerns about the care they received, with many reporting that their worries during pregnancy or labour were not properly listened to or escalated.
In some cases, parents say they raised concerns about their own condition or their baby’s wellbeing but feel these were not acted upon with sufficient urgency. For many, the publication of Donna Ockenden’s report has reinforced concerns that key opportunities to prevent harm may have been missed
Government and NHS Response
Following publication of the report, the Health Secretary issued an apology on behalf of the government and the NHS and confirmed that further action will be taken to strengthen patient safety across maternity services.
This includes expanding existing safety initiatives, with further steps under consideration. Officials have also not ruled out the possibility of a wider statutory inquiry into maternity services across England.
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has accepted the findings of the review and apologised to families for the care provided. It has said that improvements have already been made, while acknowledging that further work is required to ensure consistent standards of care and rebuild trust.
Why These Findings Matter
Safe maternity care depends on timely decision-making, clear communication, and the ability to respond quickly when risks are identified. When these systems fail, the consequences can be extremely serious for both mothers and babies.
The Ockenden review highlights not only individual instances of substandard care, but also wider concerns about how concerns are escalated, how effectively teams communicate, and whether lessons are consistently learned when things go wrong.
For families, these issues underline the importance of being listened to and having confidence that concerns raised during pregnancy and childbirth will be taken seriously and acted upon where necessary.
Support and Advice Following Maternity Care Concerns
Where concerns arise about maternity care, it can often be difficult for families to understand what went wrong or whether the care provided met an acceptable standard.
In many cases, establishing this requires a detailed review of medical records and an independent assessment of the care provided throughout pregnancy, labour, and delivery.
How Macks Solicitors Can Help
Macks Solicitors has experience supporting families who have concerns about maternity care and other forms of medical treatment.
Our Medical Negligence team can assist by reviewing the circumstances of care, obtaining and analysing medical records, and providing clear, straightforward advice on whether further investigation may be appropriate.
For more information about making a medical negligence claim, you can call us on 01642 843 668; alternatively, complete our online contact form and one of our medical negligence solicitors will be in touch.
