Final Independent Maternity Review Report finds NHS maternity service ‘failed to investigate, failed to learn and failed to improve’
Written by Assistant Litigation Executive, Sophie McGarry
On Wednesday 30 March 2022, the final report of the Ockenden Review was published which deals with the findings, conclusions and essential actions from the independent review of maternity services at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.[vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#164c48″]
Reflecting on NHS failings within the Ockenden Review’s final report
The 5-year enquiry revealed that there were significant or major concerns over the maternity care provided by the Trust. It revealed that hundreds of babies may have survived had better treatment and care been provided, with other children sustaining life changing injuries such as severe brain injuries and cerebral palsy because of the failure to provide adequate treatment.
Donna Ockenden, Chair of the Independent Maternity Review said:
“This final report of the Independent Maternity Review of maternity services at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust is about an NHS maternity service that failed. It failed to investigate, failed to learn and failed to improve, and therefore often failed to safeguard mothers and their babies at one of the most important times in their lives.”[vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#164c48″]
Concerns remain around future NHS maternity services
The report finds that even now in 2022, there remain concerns that NHS maternity services and their trust boards are still failing to adequately address and learn lessons from serious maternity events occurring now.
They aim to ensure the safety of mothers and their babies and to meet the Government’s key commitment to halve the 2010 rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths, and brain injuries in babies occurring soon or after birth by 2025.
The report also voices that parents’ fears and concerns were not being listened to. The report aims to ensure that families’ voices are heard about the quality of care that they had received.[vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#164c48″]
“Losing a baby in any circumstances must be the most awful and heart-breaking experience for any parent to ever have to go through, but to learn that their baby’s death was avoidable and was caused by poor maternity care is truly devastating and has an everlasting impact on the whole family.”
Assistant Litigation Executive, Sophie McGarry[vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#164c48″]
Fletchers is available to support individuals living with maternity failings and childcare negligence
This is an aim that we, as medical negligence solicitors, also share in helping our clients to express their concerns and to obtain the answers they deserve.
Losing a baby in any circumstances must be the most awful and heart-breaking experience for any parent to ever have to go through, but to learn that their baby’s death was avoidable and was caused by poor maternity care is truly devastating and has an everlasting impact on the whole family.
Every pregnant woman deserves to have a positive, safe pregnancy and birthing experience and anything less than that is unacceptable.
If you, or someone you love, have lost a baby due to medical negligence, we may be able to help you get the answers you deserve and hold the hospital accountable for their wrongdoings. Visit our medical negligence hub here or speak to us today for free legal advice on 0330 013 0251.
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