The independent review into maternity failings at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust will close to new cases at the end of the month.
The ongoing independent review into maternity failings at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, will no longer accept new cases as of this month.
This is despite further families coming forward with their experiences.
The review, which began in September 2022, is the largest investigation into maternity failings in the UK. It aims to examine 2,297 cases of harm to babies and women, including stillbirths, neonatal deaths, significant brain injuries to babies, severe maternal harm and maternal deaths. The bulk of these cases date from 2012 onwards.
As Healthcare Today reported in February, the Trust was fined £1.6 million following sentencing for the prosecutions of the deaths of three babies, Adele O’Sullivan, Kahlani Rawson and Quinn Parker in 2021.
It pleaded guilty to charges of failure to provide safe maternity care and treatment resulting in a significant risk of avoidable harm and, in one case, actual avoidable harm brought by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The decision to close the review to new cases from the end of May 2025 is driven by the need to finalise the report by June 2026.
Ockenden has emphasised that the review must “stop somewhere” to ensure timely delivery of its findings and recommendations.
“While the review aims to provide closure and recommendations for improvement, it also highlights the ongoing need for vigilance and accountability in maternity care. Families affected by these issues must be supported in their pursuit of justice, whether through the review process or independent legal action,” said Katy Walton, senior associate of Freeth’s in Nottingham.
