NHS Maternity Scandal: Families Demand Inquiry

Families are urgently calling for a public inquiry into what is being called the NHS's largest maternity scandal, stemming from failures at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. A Government-ordered review, examining the experiences of over 2,500 families and 800 staff members, is set to detail how widespread failures contributed to hundreds of avoidable mother and baby deaths, stillbirths, and severe infant brain damage.

Concerns have intensified due to a perceived accountability gap, as witnesses could not be legally compelled to provide evidence during the initial review, with reports suggesting many senior executives refused to cooperate. This has fueled demands for a statutory inquiry, which would possess legal powers to summon witnesses and demand documents, enabling a thorough examination of the hospital's deeply problematic culture.

Michelle Welsh, the Government's national maternity adviser and a victim of the scandal, is actively discussing a public inquiry with the government. She highlighted the limitations of the current review due to its inability to legally compel former leaders to cooperate. Separately, regulatory bodies are investigating hundreds of cases, with the Nursing and Midwifery Council examining 96 cases and the General Medical Council reviewing 62 cases and over 300 additional reports. Nottinghamshire Police are also conducting a separate corporate manslaughter investigation.

The impact of these failures is profound, as exemplified by Jack and Sarah Hawkins, who received a £2.8m settlement after their daughter Harriet was stillborn in 2016 due to multiple care failings. They are among those advocating for criminal charges and a statutory inquiry. The couple expressed deep distress over how such systemic issues persisted "in plain sight of the state." They emphasized the need for individual sanctions to foster an open and honest culture, rather than one where mistakes are "swept under the carpet."