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Health Secretary considering calls for full public inquiry into Nottingham maternity care failings

By Lauren Monaghan, Junior Local Democracy Reporter

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The health secretary says he will consider whether to hold a full public inquiry into Nottingham care maternity failings after meeting affected families.

Some of the families already involved in the largest NHS maternity review in history say a full national, statutory inquiry is the only way to ensure the right changes are made to prevent future deaths.

The existing review at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH) – which runs Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital – is being led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden.

It is looking into injuries and deaths of mothers and babies at NUH dating back to 2012 and is now expected to involve around 2,500 families.

Publication of its findings have now been pushed back from September 2025 to June 2026.

Families involved in the review met Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, in Nottingham yesterday (March 20) to ask for a public inquiry.

Sarah Hawkins, mother of daughter Harriet, who was stillborn at Nottingham City Hospital in 2016, attended the meeting.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “We talked about our experiences, the overriding factors, the failures of the regulators. We said that we wanted a public inquiry, [Mr Streeting] didn’t say no- he said he would give it some consideration and get back to us on the next steps.

“We’ve got Donna [Ockenden] looking at this, but it’s not statutory, no one is compelled to answer, she doesn’t look at the failure of the regulators, the police don’t look at the regulators.”

Sarah said the families are pushing for an inquiry as there is “no accountability” for the families and the experiences they had at the trust.

She said: “[We want to know] how it went so wrong and why it went so wrong and those people who have failed us be responsible, there’s no accountability.”

Ryan Parker, father of Quinn Lias Parker, who was born at City Hospital July 14 2021 but died two days later, asked Mr Streeting to consider the ruling of Paul v Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust by the Supreme Court in January 2024.

This ruling restricts families from seeking damages for the psychological impact of seeing a loved one die in cases of potential medical negligence.

Mr Parker said in a statement to the LDRS: “The Supreme Court ruling In January 2024 meant that the majority of parents were no longer owed a duty of care by doctors caring for their baby or partner, in their presence.

“We have asked Wes Streeting to urgently look into this. The law needs to reflect family-friendly rights and promote a culture of equality. It also needs to be preventative of rather than be a facilitator of mental health issues. None moreso than when harm is involved.

He called it a “step backwards in modern day society”, saying: “It has created acute inequalities for both mothers and fathers, and extends to discrimination when concerning fathers and partners, as there is no duty of care owed to them at any point in their baby’s development, birth or care.”

“With so maternity units unsafe, the last thing the courts should be doing is weakening responsibility where a baby is concerned.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said in a statement the meeting was one “that will stay with me for the rest of my life”.

He said: “While my words can’t do justice to what they – and other families across the country – have suffered, actions from government and the NHS can at least try to put right past wrongs.

“I will do everything in my power to ensure all women and babies receive the safe, personalised and compassionate care they deserve. We are supporting trusts to make rapid improvements, as well as training thousands more midwives, but I know more needs to be done.

Mr Streeting confirmed he would return to Nottingham once he has “fully considered next steps”.

In a statement, Anthony May, Chief Executive at NUH said: “I am grateful to the Secretary of State for finding time to meet the affected families and I know they will appreciate it. [Yesterday was] a significant step for the families in having their voices heard.

“Receiving feedback from the families and Donna is helping to improve maternity services at NUH. Our colleagues are working hard to implement changes. I know our services require further improvement but there are good signs that we are moving in the right direction.”