Leeds maternity: Families who lost babies demand independent inquiry
Families whose babies died at Leeds’ hospitals have demanded that an independent inquiry is launched into failings in their care, led by a senior midwife.
Earlier this year, Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced a widespread rapid review into maternity services across the country “to provide truth and accountability for impacted families and drive urgent improvements to care and safety.”
It came after Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust had its maternity services downgraded to inadequate by the Care Quality Commission (CQC.)
Leeds is among Trusts identified by Mr Streeting as most concerning and will form part of the rapid review.
But families who have lost babies at the Trust have said they want an independent inquiry in the style led by Donna Ockenden in both Nottingham and Shrewsbury.
They have also asked that Ms Ockenden herself lead the inquiry.
Some 62 people signed an open letter to Mr Streeting, seen by the Yorkshire Post, to demand the enquiry.
The letter read: “A rapid review cannot uncover the deep-rooted institutional failings that have allowed dangerous care to continue despite repeated red flags.
“Bereaved and harmed families are having to continue to uncover the truth themselves, often facing resistance and poor transparency from the very systems meant to protect them.
“This is a situation that demands the same level of scrutiny, independence and compassion shown in Donna Ockenden’s reviews.
“Until action is taken, no family in our city or wider region is safe from unsafe maternity care. We stand united in calling for this action that meets the gravity of this situation. Anything less than this is simply a delay, one that risks more lives, more harm and more pain.”
The letter comes after more than 100 safety recommendations were made to the Trust by a maternity safeguarding watchdog.
The Maternity Safety Support Programme said that more machines were needed to monitor foetal movements, as well as better support for bereaved families across the Trust.
Speaking earlier this year, Mr Streeting said: “We’ll bring in a package of measures to start taking action now, increasing accountability across the board, and bringing in the cultural change we need to see.
“Within the next month, the NHS chief executive, Jim Mackey, and the chief nursing officer, Duncan Burton, will meet the trusts of greatest concern, including Leeds, Gloucester, Mid and South Essex and Sussex, to hold them to account for improvement.”
He added: “I’m currently discussing with Leeds families the best way to grip the challenges brought to light in that trust by their campaigning, reports in the media and the latest CQC report, and I’ll be ordering an investigation into nine specific cases identified by families in Sussex who are owed a thorough account of what happened in those cases.”
The Department for Health and Social Care was approached for comment.