A group of bereaved families have welcomed the appointment of an expert to chair an independent review of maternity services at a hospital trust as they stressed that the investigation must include all harmed families.
Sussex Truth for Our Babies group said more than 60 families in the county have been affected by maternity care failings.
The families met Wes Streeting in Brighton yesterday (Wednesday 15 April) where he confirmed that senior midwife and investigator Donna Ockenden, who the families wanted to lead the investigation, will chair the review into maternity care at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UH Sussex).
Mr Streeting, who announced the review last June, has “listened to the campaigning families”, the group said.
“This has been a long, exhausting and deeply emotional fight for all of us,” bereaved mother Katie Fowler said in a statement on behalf of Sussex Truth for Our Babies group.
Ms Fowler’s daughter Abigail Fowler Miller died two days after being born at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton in January 2022.
An inquest concluded she would likely have survived if her mother had received medical treatment sooner, with Ms Fowler also going into cardiac arrest.
The statement continued: “As a group, we have been calling for this review for two years, all while living with devastating loss and harm caused to us and our babies.
“Today’s announcement represents a significant and welcome step forward. We are grateful that Wes Streeting has listened to campaigning families and recognised the need to appoint Donna Ockenden to lead the review. While the full scope of the review is yet to be agreed, Mr Streeting was receptive to the arguments we made as to why a full, inclusive review is needed to ensure that no family is left behind.
“A review that does not include all harmed and bereaved families cannot deliver the truth or accountability that is so desperately needed. Lessons will be missed, and opportunities to prevent future harm could be lost.
“This review gives us hope that we will finally get answers we have been seeking, not just for our own families, but for every family that has been affected. It is about accountability, but it’s also about working to ensure that no other family has to endure what we have been through.”
Mr Streeting told reporters: “I don’t mind saying this (preparation for the review) has taken too long, and I’ve certainly reflected on that.
“It was important to me to make sure that we got the scope of this right.”
He added that he had not “ruled out” a full public inquiry into maternity care across the country.
In a statement, the Health Secretary said: “Donna Ockenden has earned the trust of families across the country through her tireless work to uncover the truth and drive lasting change in maternity care. I know she will bring that same dedication to Sussex.
“To the families in Sussex, your determination to seek answers not just for yourselves, but for every family who comes after you, is so important. This review has my full personal commitment, and I will ensure we get the answers and deliver the change you deserve.”
Ms Ockenden said it was an “honour” to be asked to chair the review.
“I am absolutely aware of the responsibility I have to the families and babies across Sussex,” she said.
“My priority will be to listen carefully to harmed and bereaved families and to engage comprehensively across communities and with staff on the ground here in Sussex.”
Liz Charlton, a mother who said there were “failings” in her care which led to the death of her baby Hazel at Worthing Hospital in 2021, told the Press Association ahead of the meeting that an opt-out independent review by Ms Ockenden would give her accountability and justice.
“The only way you can have clear change is to have the most efficient, effective review done by someone that has an evidence base of doing it, that knows how to do it, that’s done it well before,” Ms Charlton said.
“So for me, it will give me accountability and justice, I think, and overall really change for the future.”
Last month Ms Ockenden was named as chairwoman of an investigation into maternity services in Leeds.
She is also examining how hundreds of babies died or were injured in the care of Nottingham University Hospitals Trust, with a final report expected this summer.It follows her review into mother and baby deaths at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.
The chief executive officer of UH Sussex said the trust welcomes the appointment of Ms Ockenden, but added that there is “more to do”.
Dr Andy Heeps said: “The loss of a baby is the worst thing that a parent can imagine, let alone experience. For any family who has been through such a trauma, I am deeply sorry.
“We welcome today’s announcement that a chair has been appointed to lead the independent review into Sussex maternity services. We will work openly and transparently with the Donna Ockenden review team, and with families who have used our services, because we believe external scrutiny can help drive improvement. We hope this announcement will provide some reassurance to families, and we will do everything we can to support the review and help families get the answers they seek.
“I also want to reassure families in Sussex about our maternity services today. We know that trust has to be earned through the care we provide and the action we take, and we have made important changes in recent years to strengthen the safety and quality of the care we provide to people now. That work never ends, and our staff remain deeply committed to providing safe, compassionate care to every woman, baby and family who uses our services.
“We know there is more to do, and we will keep working with openness, humility and determination to deliver the safest and best care possible.”
This is a deeply distressing article, and my heart goes out to all the families affected by these failures in maternity care. Their courage in continuing to push for accountability and change, despite such devastating loss, deserves real recognition.
At the same time, it’s hard not to notice—once again—that fathers seem largely absent from the conversation. When tragedies like this happen, the impact is not limited to mothers alone. Fathers also experience profound grief, trauma, and, in many cases, a sense of helplessness that can last a lifetime.
If this review is truly going to be “full and inclusive,” as has been suggested, then it needs to reflect the experiences of *all* parents. That means actively listening to and acknowledging fathers as well—not as secondary figures, but as equally affected voices who deserve to be heard.
Real accountability and meaningful change will only come when every perspective is included.
I know this is personal to you. This is however, just the announcement of the chair and does not go into detail about the review itself. I’m sure everyone involved in the maternity care will be included.
No you don’t know !
So don’t even bother with your disingenuous comments.
Your not a family man . You don’t have children . You just go looking for topics so you can turn the conversation around about you .
It’s worse than gross negligence.
Just stick to your favorite topics of wheelie bins and pot holes.
Benjamin franks
Hm. As always, I genuinely hope you continue to get support for your trauma.
No.
Whistle blowing. When the council department lies about abuse . Fabricates evidence. Instigates paternity fraud .
Goes after innocent parents to cover up there horrific crimes .
The **Nottingham NHS baby deaths investigation** is one of the largest maternity scandals in UK history. Here’s a clear breakdown of what’s going on.
—
## 🏥 What happened?
The investigation centres on **Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH)**, which runs the Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital.
* Over **more than a decade (roughly 2010s–2020s)**, there were **serious concerns about maternity care**.
* Reports found **babies died or were left with brain damage**, with many cases considered **potentially preventable**. ([Scala][1])
* **Hundreds of baby deaths** occurred in that period, prompting national scrutiny. ([ITVX][2])
—
## 🔍 Scale of the investigation
* An independent review led by midwife **Donna Ockenden** is examining **up to ~2,500 cases** of deaths, injuries, and poor care. ([The Guardian][3])
* This makes it **the largest maternity inquiry in NHS history**. ([The Guardian][3])
—
## 🚨 Police investigation (possible criminal case)
* Police have launched a **corporate manslaughter investigation** into the trust. ([The Guardian][3])
* This means they are പരിശോധing whether:
* The organisation’s **systemic failures**
* amounted to **gross negligence leading to deaths**
—
## ⚖️ Proven failures and fines
* The trust has **admitted serious failings** in multiple cases.
* In 2025, it was fined **£1.6 million** after pleading guilty over the deaths of **three babies in 2021**. ([The Guardian][4])
* Courts heard of:
* Delays in emergency care
* Failure to monitor mothers and babies properly
* Poor record-keeping
—
## 📊 What kinds of problems were found?
Across many cases, investigations have identified:
* **Delayed C-sections or emergency treatment**
* **Failure to recognise fetal distress**
* **Inadequate staffing or training**
* **Poor communication between teams**
* **Not properly investigating earlier deaths**, meaning lessons weren’t learned ([Scala][1])
—
## 👨👩👧 Families’ concerns
Families have said:
* They were **ignored or dismissed when raising concerns**
* Some cases involved **“cover-ups” or lack of transparency**
* Many believe deaths could have been **avoided if action was taken earlier** ([The Guardian][3])
—
## 🧾 Current status (as of 2026)
* The **independent review is ongoing**, expected to report around **2026**. ([The Guardian][3])
* The **police investigation is still underway**
* The NHS trust says it has:
* Apologised
* Made changes (more staff, better training, improved monitoring) ([NUH][5])
—
## 🧠 Why this case is significant
* It has exposed **systemic problems in maternity care**, not just isolated mistakes.
* It’s part of a wider pattern of NHS maternity scandals (e.g. Shrewsbury, East Kent).
* It may lead to **criminal accountability at an organisational level**—which is rare in healthcare.
—
Go on Benji . Let’s discuss this
Benjamin
My baby girl died in Nottingham nhs hospital.
Born asleep.
Staff from Brighton and hove did there best to accuse me of involvement.
Lied . Fabricated evidence.
Produced illegally obtained paper work . Printed off without court authorization.
Turned up to court not directed to attend. Fabricated more lies . Cctv in the court proves otherwise.
Go pick another subject.
However we can always have a meeting in person if you so wish .
In public and office of your choice. Cctv
That would be inappropriate and unhelpful. As I said, it’s clearly deeply upsetting. The review is due out in June, I believe? And I checked, their specific support service is still available. From the way you behave, in the nicest possible way, you should consider accessing this. https://www.fpssnottingham.co.uk/
## 📢 Update: Breaking the Silence on the UK Maternity Crisis
For years, families across the UK have fought for the truth about preventable baby deaths. Recent inquiries and ongoing investigations have finally begun to expose a disturbing pattern of gaslighting and cover-ups within certain NHS Trusts and local authorities.
What the Investigations Are Revealing:
Recent reports, including the interim findings from Baroness Amos (Feb 2026) and the ongoing Ockenden Review in Nottingham, have highlighted systemic failures:
* A Culture of Blame: Bereaved parents have frequently been “gaslighted”—with some even being blamed for their own child’s death to shield hospitals from clinical scrutiny.
* The Paper Trail: Evidence has emerged of medical records being falsified or sensitive documents being deleted to prevent independent oversight.
* Silencing Voices: Dedicated staff who tried to raise the alarm (whistleblowers) were often sidelined or silenced by senior management.
* Avoiding Inquests: In some cases, deaths were recorded as “stillbirths” despite signs of life, effectively bypassing the coroner’s involvement.
*
What is Being Done?
While the trauma for these families is immeasurable, the tide is turning. The Thirlwall Inquiry and the Nottingham Review (the largest in NHS history) are due to release final reports in mid-2026.
Furthermore, the government has launched the PRiSMM surveillance system this month (April 2026) to monitor pregnancy complications in real-time and prevent these tragedies from being hidden in the future.
#MaternitySafety #NHS #JusticeForFamilies #MaternityScandal