Leeds Baby Deaths: Ockenden to Lead NHS Review & Trust Restored in Health Secretary

The families of babies who died or suffered harm at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust are cautiously optimistic following the appointment of midwife Donna Ockenden to lead an independent review into the trust’s maternity services. The move comes after a sustained campaign by bereaved parents who felt sidelined during the initial stages of the inquiry, announced five months prior. Fifty-six baby deaths and two maternal deaths over a five-year period are under scrutiny, prompting calls for a thorough investigation mirroring the approach taken in similar cases, such as the Ockenden review at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

Ockenden’s previous work at Shrewsbury and Telford, where she investigated systemic failures in maternity care, has earned her the trust of many families who have experienced similar tragedies. The Leeds maternity units at both Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) and St James’s Hospital were downgraded to “inadequate” by the Care Quality Commission in June 2025, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive review.

Restoring Trust Through Independent Oversight

The initial delay in appointing a chair for the Leeds inquiry led to growing frustration among families, who feared their concerns were not being prioritized. Amarjit Kaur Matharoo, whose daughter Asees was stillborn at the LGI in 2024, expressed a tentative restoration of trust in Health Secretary Wes Streeting. “I think we’re slowly getting it back,” she said, acknowledging that rebuilding confidence would require sustained effort and demonstrable change. Fiona Wisner-Ramm, whose daughter Aliona died at the LGI in 2020 following what a coroner described as “gross failures,” emphasized the importance of prioritizing the needs of victims over institutional protection. She stated that a conversation with Streeting appeared to influence his decision-making.

The Scope of the Leeds Maternity Inquiry

The inquiry will examine the circumstances surrounding baby deaths and maternal harm at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, aiming to identify systemic failings and recommend improvements to maternity care. This includes a detailed review of cases where children survived but experienced serious, life-altering injuries due to failures in care. The investigation’s terms of reference are still being finalized in collaboration with affected families, a crucial step in ensuring the inquiry addresses their key concerns. The Department of Health has stated This proves “actively working with families in Leeds to appoint a chair and agree terms of reference for this vital review,” as reported by the BBC.

Ockenden’s Approach and Priorities

Donna Ockenden has emphasized her commitment to a thorough and family-centered review. “It is an honour to have been asked to chair this review, and I feel a profound sense of responsibility to the parents, babies and healthcare professionals it concerns to ensure that we get this right,” she stated. Her priority will be to listen to the experiences of families and staff, understand the root causes of failures, and implement timely changes to improve the safety and quality of perinatal care. Ockenden is currently leading a similar review of maternity failings in Nottingham, examining approximately 2,500 cases.

Beyond Leeds: A Pattern of Maternity Care Concerns

The Leeds inquiry is not an isolated incident. Concerns about the quality of maternity care in the UK have been growing in recent years, with investigations launched at several other trusts, including Shrewsbury and Telford and East Kent Hospitals University Trust. A retrospective study of MBRRACE-UK Perinatal Mortality included both Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust and East Kent Hospitals University Trust, both of which were under investigation during parliamentary scrutiny. This suggests a broader systemic issue within the NHS maternity services that requires urgent attention. The MBRRACE-UK (Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Auditing and Confidential Enquiries) is a national program dedicated to improving the safety of maternity care.

What Does “Inadequate” Care Indicate for Patients?

A Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating of “inadequate” signifies that the trust has failed to provide safe, effective, caring, responsive, or well-led care. In maternity services, this can manifest in several ways, including insufficient staffing levels, inadequate training, poor communication between staff, and failures to monitor fetal wellbeing effectively. These failings can lead to preventable harm to both mothers and babies, including stillbirths, neonatal deaths, and maternal complications. The CQC uses a standardized inspection framework to assess healthcare providers, and its ratings are publicly available, allowing patients to build informed choices about their care.

Next Steps: Implementing Change and Ensuring Accountability

The appointment of Donna Ockenden is a critical first step, but lasting change will require a sustained commitment to improvement. The review’s findings will need to be translated into concrete actions, including increased investment in staffing, enhanced training programs, and improved monitoring systems. Accountability is too essential; healthcare professionals responsible for failings must be held accountable for their actions. Streeting has pledged to deliver lasting change, stating that Ockenden’s leadership will “bring us closer to the lasting change so desperately needed in Leeds.” The review’s progress will be closely monitored by families, MPs, and the wider public, who are demanding a safer and more compassionate maternity care system.