A damning inquiry chaired by former midwife Donna Ockenden found that systemic failures at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust led to hundreds of maternal and neonatal deaths and injuries between 2012 and 2025. The review counted 2,500 families harmed, citing a culture of bullying, dismissive clinicians and destroyed records that concealed the true scale of harm.

The report identified 444 cases with significant or major concerns, including 76 instances where neglect may have contributed to newborn deaths or long‑term brain injury. Witnesses described a “fear of speaking up” and routine gaslighting of families, while staff turnover and crisis‑mode working left midwives unable to raise alerts. These findings echo national alerts that maternal mortality has risen to a decade‑high since Covid.

Health secretary James Murray pledged that the inquiry’s 700‑plus recommendations will feed into a national plan to overhaul maternity services. Immediate actions include simplifying incident reporting, improving multilingual patient information and mandating compassionate communication to stop dehumanising language. Investors watch NHS trusts closely; repeated scandals risk tighter regulation and potential funding penalties, making swift implementation essential for restoring public confidence.