Families welcome progress in maternity care inquiry

Bereaved families have welcomed new details of an independent review into maternity care in Leeds, including the nature of cases set to be considered.

Last year former Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced a review into Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) after "repeated failures" over its maternity services came to light.

It came after a BBC investigation revealed that the deaths of at least 56 babies and two mothers at LTHT over the past five years may have been prevented.

In a statement, the families affected said the confirmed terms of reference published on Monday were a "significant milestone".

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) published the terms of reference for the inquiry, which set out how individual cases will be examined.

According to the DHSC, the review is expected to conclude by 2029 and will cover the delivery of maternity and neonatal care from 1 January 2011 until 31 March 2028 where mothers and babies have suffered "severe harm or death while under the care of LTHT".

Clinical case reviews are to begin in November.

The review will consider eight categories of "severe harm or death", the DHSC said, including stillbirths, maternal deaths – including by suicide – and some babies admitted to the neonatal unit.

The review will identify concerns over maternity and neonatal care at the trust and make recommendations to improve safety, quality and equity, the government said.

Senior midwife Donna Ockenden, who recently led a similar inquiry into failings in Nottingham, will lead the LTHT review.

Ockenden met with bereaved families on Saturday to update them on the review and its terms of reference.

"What families have said to me is that to feel the support of other families, to be able to know that they are not on their own, is really important," Ockenden said.

Lauren Caulfield, whose daughter Grace was stillborn in 2022, said: "I feel really optimistic to have increased the categories in comparison to previous reviews.

"It's so essential that we hear a wide range of experiences from as many families as we can."

Fiona Winser-Ramm, whose first baby Aliona Grace died at Leeds General Infirmary in January 2020, 27 minutes after she was born, said it was "vindicating" to see the inquiry progressing.

"We have all spent years being gaslighted into believing what happened to us is a one-off, that we are just a few families causing a fuss.

"We have always known that's not true."

Amarjit Matharoo, whose daughter Asees was stillborn on 6 January 2024, said bereaved families had dealt with three health secretaries in the last year as they pushed for an inquiry led by Ockenden.

"The proof will be once we see some real changes and see some numbers come down around stillbirths, deaths [and] brain injuries, and everything else that families have experienced within Leeds."

Ockenden said the published terms of reference marked a "pivotal" point in the review's progression.

"The terms of reference have been reviewed and written together in partnership with families to ensure that all voices that wish to participate are heard and represented.

"In due course, the review will begin to receive information from the trust, families, and staff so that we are able to begin case reviews. Families and staff can expect to receive contact from the review team in the coming months."

Ockenden thanked families for their feedback, which was used to shape the terms of reference, adding their voices will "continue to be acknowledged, listened to and acted upon as the review progresses."

Families affected by the review issued a statement on Monday, saying: "The Independent Maternity Review of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT) has marked a pivotal moment in its mission to deliver transparency, truth, and lasting change for families across the region.

"The agreed time period covered by the review is a major strength. This will allow the full tenures of previous CEOs of LTHT to be covered and scrutinised.

"It is important to note that even if families do not meet the strict criteria, they will still be able to contribute under the 'family experiences' chapter of the investigation."

The statement added: "We encourage them to still reach out to the review; their experiences remain entirely valid."

The families said they were "pleased" Ockenden and the government "recognise the importance of so many voices being heard", and urged anyone affected by maternity care at the trust within the review period to come forward.

"You will be listened to with the utmost compassion and confidentiality.

"You and your family mattered then, they matter now and they always will."

Brendan Brown, chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said he was "truly sorry" to families affected.

"I understand that speaking about these experiences can be difficult, and respect the courage it takes for them to come forward and be heard," he said.

Brown said the trust was committed to "working openly, honestly and transparently" with the review team, adding: "[We are] continuing to listen and learn from families so that we can make meaningful and lasting improvements to our maternity and neonatal services."

The DHSC said families whose cases occurred between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2014 would have the choice to opt in to the review for their cases to be considered.

Families whose cases occurred from 1 January 2015 onwards would be considered in the review unless they actively chose to opt out, it added.

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