Nottingham baby death inquiry expected to uncover biggest-ever maternity scandal

An inquiry into baby deaths at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is expected to uncover the biggest maternity scandal in the history of the NHS.

Donna Ockenden, who is leading the inquiry, is poised to investigate hundreds more cases after NHS England wrote to affected families agreeing cases would be dealt with on an opt-out basis, with families having to opt out of giving consent.

Families are expected to receive an apology from the trust which will be discussed at a board meeting later on Monday.

Ms Ockenden, who along with a team of senior clinicians began her review in September 2022, said in May that more than 1,250 families and 650 staff had contacted the review to express concerns about the trust’s care practices.

She has previously called for more people to contact the review, stressing that it was “vital” that women from a range of ethnic and social backgrounds came forward.

Some families, including those whose children died due to failings, demanded a public apology from the trust at a closed meeting in May.

The trust said earlier this month it would “commit to working collaboratively to plan for an apology on behalf of the board that the families recognise as meaningful” in Monday’s meeting.

Ms Ockenden’s previous review in Shrewsbury and Telford used the “opt-out” approach to include the majority of affected families.