Full Breakdown
Landmark Review Uncovers Widespread Maternity Failings at Nottingham University Hospitals
6/24/2026, 11:42:03 PM
Background & Scope
Since 2012, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) has faced repeated allegations of substandard maternity care, including stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal deaths and severe injuries. A public campaign by affected families culminated in an independent inquiry led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, launched in September 2022. The review gathered evidence from roughly 2,500 families and more than 800 staff members, examining cases up to 2025. The trust has already paid millions of pounds in compensation and fines, notably a £1.6 million penalty in 2021 for the deaths of three babies—the largest fine ever imposed on an NHS trust for maternity failures.
Official Statements & Responses
A senior NHS official said the findings would be used to “consider carefully what we need to do next to ensure that we learn from what happened in the past and to continue to improve maternity services.” The statement signals an intention to revise protocols but provides no concrete actions.
Criticism & Opposition
Families argue many of the tragedies were preventable. Sarah and Jack Hawkins, whose daughter Harriet was stillborn in 2016, contend that early warnings were ignored. The case of Wynter Andrews, who died in 2019 at the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) after a delayed delivery, is cited as evidence of systemic delay. Emmie Studencki reports four late-stage hospital visits in which her request for a caesarean section was dismissed—a failure identified as one of 13 in an external review. Critics also view the £1.6 million fine as insufficient relative to the scale of harm.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The sources do not provide a consolidated total of stillbirths, neonatal deaths or maternal deaths linked to NUH. While the BBC notes the £1.6 million fine for three baby deaths, the Guardian describes individual cases without aggregating outcomes, leaving the overall mortality figure unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “My emotions are all over the place about it really.” — Sarah Hawkins, mother
- “Just to know that harm and death for so many families across Nottinghamshire was potentially preventable is absolutely soul-destroying.” — Sarah Hawkins, mother
- “To think about how many people will be in that room, that if they'd listened to us in 2016, they wouldn't have to be in that room. I'm struggling to come to terms with it all really.” — Sarah Hawkins, mother
- “An external review of the case found 13 failures and concluded the death was almost certainly preventable.” — External review of the case
What’s Next
The Ockenden report, due Wednesday, will trigger a formal response from NHS England and may prompt further regulatory action. Ongoing police investigations could lead to criminal proceedings. Families anticipate that the findings will shape new safety protocols and oversight mechanisms within NUH and across the NHS.
