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Largest NHS scandal revealed
A damning report published Wednesday into the largest NHS maternity scandal in its history says more than 500 mothers and babies suffered potentially avoidable harm or died due to poor care at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust in central England, in cases spanning 13 years from 2012-2025.
“more than 500 mothers and babies suffered potentially avoidable harm or died”
The probe found at least 156 cases involved the death of babies and six mothers also died at two units run by Nottingham University Hospitals Trust, and it described the findings as the end of a “relentless and at times almost unbearable 10-year campaign” by Sarah and Jack Hawkins.
Sarah Hawkins, a physiotherapist, said after the report’s publication, “I just can’t compute ... how they did this to us and how they did this to all these families,” while Jack Hawkins added, “Our concerns were dismissed and not acted upon.”
The BBC said the inquiry involved about 2,500 families and that 155 babies may have survived with better care, alongside 105 who suffered serious injury due to failings, as Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust apologised to those affected and said it was committed to making improvements.
Culture, dismissal, and bullying
The report author senior midwife Donna Ockenden found a “bullying and toxic culture” at the trust’s two maternity hospitals “infected” by a “small minority of powerful leaders,” and she said Harriet’s “avoidable death” was “compounded by a systemic cover-up and investigations designed to mislead.”
In the BBC’s account of the Hawkins case, Harriet was stillborn at Nottingham City Hospital after intervention was repeatedly delayed, and an external review concluded her death was “almost certainly preventable.”
Jack Hawkins told the BBC, “My God, you know, how on earth are you supposed to deal with the change in life from such excitement to utter emptiness?” while the Arab News PK report quoted Health Minister James Murray describing the findings as “chilling” and saying regulators had been more concerned about “protecting clinicians” than providing accountability.
The BBC also quoted Gary Andrews describing how a clinician told him that “if you listened to every mother’s concerns, the hospital would be overrun,” after Wynter died 23 minutes after delivery on 15 September 2019 following missed warning signs.
What changes are demanded
The BBC said the review graded 520 cases of mothers and babies as two or three for harm, with grade two representing “significant concerns” and grade three “major concerns,” and it described how families called for clear actionable change in Nottingham and nationally.
“Grade two represents "significant concerns"”
In parliament, Health Minister James Murray pledged an action plan by the end of the year, while the Arab News PK report said the government would launch an immediate investigation and that it would hold the owners fully accountable.
The Guardian’s summary of the Nottingham review said failures in maternity and neonatal care were “systemic, deep-rooted and sustained over many years,” and it reported that of the 462 stillbirths reviewed, about one in five of the case reviews of the mothers were graded 2 or 3.
The Guardian also said the review found “chronic understaffing” was “one of the most pervasive themes,” and it reported that 80% of staff surveyed stated there were not enough personnel for the workload and 59% regularly working beyond their rostered hours, tying the consequences directly to ongoing care conditions.
