Largest maternity review in NHS history to be published

<p>The story behind the largest maternity review in the NHS</p>

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<p>Nottinghamshire Police launched a manslaughter case into the trust in June 2025, as part of its wider criminal investigation into maternity failings at the trust, named Operation Perth.</p>

<p>The investigation has run alongside the review, which has looked into failings at two maternity units run by the trust - at Nottingham City Hospital and the Queen's Medical Centre.</p>

<p>On Monday, the force confirmed the first two arrests made as part of Operation Perth, which police said were separate to the corporate manslaughter investigation.</p>

<p>Two men, 55 and 59, were detained on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, in connection with "operating practices in the mortuary service" provided by the trust.</p>

<p>Both have <a href="/news/articles/crr8j52zy2do" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">since been released on bail</a> with "strict conditions".</p>

<p>Other healthcare regulators, the General Medical Council (GMC) and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), are investigating allegations against individual NUH staff.</p>

<p>Sarah was in labour for six days before Harriet was stillborn at City Hospital in April 2016.</p>

<p>An initial hospital review found "no obvious fault", and stated their child died of an infection but Sarah and Jack - who both worked for the trust - did not accept that and pushed for an external review.</p>

<p>The external review, which was published in January 2019, found a host of failings and concluded <a href="/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-42627080" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Harriet's death was "almost certainly preventable"</a>.</p>

<p>Jack, 57, who was a hospital consultant at the time Harriet died, said: "How on earth have we allowed it that there are 1,000 avoidable baby deaths in this country every year and, in a particular place, there are this many schools' worth of children missing or damaged beyond belief, and dead mums and damaged mums?</p>

<p>"How have we got here?"</p>

<p>Sarah, 43, who was a senior physiotherapist at the trust, said: "It's massive, because we worked there as well.</p>

<p>"We couldn't go back to our careers, our jobs, everything. Every single aspect of life was changed.</p>

<p>"I know a lot of Nottingham families just want some form of justice, to clear their children's name, to know that the harm that was caused wasn't their fault."</p>

<p>The pair previously told of how Harriet's body had been allowed to decompose so badly by NUH, it had to be triple-bagged for her funeral.</p>

<p>The couple had their legal case against the trust settled out of court for £2.8m, <a href="/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-59541766" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">believed to be the largest payout</a> for a stillbirth clinical negligence case.</p>

<p>Gary and Sarah Andrews's daughter Wynter, died in 2019 - just 23 minutes after being born.</p>

<p>NUH was <a href="/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-64422598" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fined £800,000 in January 2023</a> after admitting failures in Wynter's and Sarah's care.</p>

<p>Gary, 38, said: "The report being published today needs to serve as a wake-up call to the NHS locally and nationally, that what's gone on before cannot be allowed to continue."</p>

<p>The couple have a son, Bowie, aged four.</p>

<p>Sarah, 41, said: "I think, personally, it's got harder because we watch Bowie grow up and realise all the milestones we're missing with Wynter and that's heart-breaking.</p>

<p>"We should have never had to fight in the first place and actually we should not be doing it now. We shouldn't have to be doing this.</p>

<p>"There should be accountability, and it shouldn't be on families to have to fight to be heard and believed."</p>

<p>Sherwood Forest MP Michelle Welsh, who suffered a birth trauma at the trust and is now a government maternity adviser, said: "I believe it is an absolute watershed moment.</p>

<p>"This is over 2,500 families [and] over 700 members of staff that have come forward and told accounts of horrific, horrific situations at that hospital.</p>

<p>"Of women not being listened to, being treated with disdain, being told to stay at home, and discrimination.</p>

<p>"This is a watershed moment and if this isn't a catalyst for change I don't know what will be."</p>

<p>The NMC said it was looking at 96 "fitness to practise" cases relating to maternity care at NUH.</p>

<p>Of those, 80 were at an initial assessment stage, while 15 were undergoing full investigations.</p>

<p>One case of a midwife had been investigated and was due to be decided on. An interim order meant they were currently unable to practise.</p>

<p>The GMC, which regulates doctors, said it was looking at 62 cases, of which 53 were at initial stage and nine were at early investigative stages.</p>

<p>GMC investigators were also reviewing more than 300 information reports passed to them from the Ockenden review.</p>

<p>The review, which prompted <a href="/news/articles/c994x95yygyo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a national inquiry into maternity failings</a>, covers the period from April 2012 to May 2025.</p>

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<h2>More on this story</h2>

<li><a href="/news/articles/cyr7em4323mo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><p>The story behind the largest maternity review in the NHS</p></a><ul><li>Published21 hours ago</li></ul></li>

<p>The story behind the largest maternity review in the NHS</p>

<li>Published21 hours ago</li>

<li><a href="/news/articles/c8d2ee2plgro" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><p>Two men arrested over hospital mortuary practices</p></a><ul><li>Published1 day ago</li></ul></li>

<p>Two men arrested over hospital mortuary practices</p>

<li>Published1 day ago</li>

<li><a href="/news/articles/clyvg0vlkk0o" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><p>Manslaughter case launched into Nottingham baby deaths</p></a><ul><li>Published2 June 2025</li></ul></li>

<p>Manslaughter case launched into Nottingham baby deaths</p>

<li>Published2 June 2025</li>

<li><a href="/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-68320388" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><p>NHS paid out £101m over city's maternity failings</p></a><ul><li>Published28 February 2024</li></ul></li>

<p>NHS paid out £101m over city's maternity failings</p>

<li>Published28 February 2024</li>

<h2>Related internet links</h2>

<li><a href="https://www.ockendenmaternityreview.org.uk/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><p>Ockenden Maternity Review</p></a></li>

<p>Ockenden Maternity Review</p>

<li><a href="https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><p>Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust </p></a></li>

<p>Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust </p>

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<h2>Related topics</h2>

<li><a href="/news/topics/cgmxjyd1me8t" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nottingham</a></li>

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Guardian Sport · Jun 24

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