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Leeds Maternity Inquiry: Families Share Pain
18 Jul
Summary
- Families shared experiences with the inquiry chair.
- The inquiry covers 15 years of maternity and neonatal care.
- At least 56 babies and two mothers died over five years.
Parents in Leeds whose babies suffered harm or died have begun sharing their deeply personal experiences with the chair of a significant independent inquiry. This formal investigation is examining maternity and neonatal services provided by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust over a 15-year span.
Senior midwife Donna Ockenden is leading the inquiry, which could review as many as 3,000 cases. Families involved expressed feeling empowered by the opportunity to speak, hoping for substantial improvements in care. This process follows concerning reports of at least 56 infant deaths and two maternal fatalities over the past five years at the trust, many of which may have been preventable.
The inquiry, announced last year, provides a platform for affected individuals to understand the review's stages and how they can contribute evidence. The trust has acknowledged efforts to implement necessary improvements in response to these critical issues.
