In May 2022, NHS England established a review, led by Donna Ockenden, following significant concerns raised regarding the quality and safety of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH). It is expected that the independent review will publish their final report in September 2025. The review is considering stillbirths, neonatal deaths, injured babies and mothers, maternal deaths and antenatal care at the Trust dating back to April 2012.
In 2023, the Care Quality Commission brought charges against Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust following an investigation into three deaths which occurred in maternity services in 2021.
Today (10 February 2025), the trust has entered guilty pleas to those charges at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court. Sentencing is expected to take place within the next 7 days.
It is the second time the CQC has prosecuted the trust over maternity failures. In 2023, the trust was fined £800,000 after admitting failings which led to the neonatal death of Wynter Andrews who died in 2019.
The failings in maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust are shocking. However, they are far from the only trust to face criticism in relation to their maternity services. Following a 16 month review of 131 units across the NHS, the CGC highlighted multiple issues with maternity services concluding that preventable harm was at risk of becoming “normalised”.
Having particular expertise in maternity cases, I see preventable harm occurring in maternity services across the country. While it is positive that trusts are being held to account by the CQC for their failings, it is clear that there remain major issues with maternity services.
An NHS trust has pleaded guilty to six offences connected to the deaths of three babies in its maternity care.