Families Fear Lack Of Independence In Maternity Review As Chair Named

The erstwhile diplomat Baroness Valerie Amos has been chosen to lead a accelerated reappraisal of maternity attraction successful England.

In a missive to families who person been grounded by mediocre maternity care, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said she "brings a wealthiness of acquisition done her elder activity roles successful nationalist and world organisations".

The different members of nan sheet person not been named, amid important interest from immoderate families that those projected are not independent of nan NHS.

There has been nary announcement of which NHS Trusts will person their maternity services investigated by nan review. The Health Secretary said up to 10 areas could beryllium examined.

The BBC has spent much than a decade speaking to bereaved and harmed families and gathering grounds of failing maternity services successful a number of NHS Trusts, including: Morecambe Bay, Shrewsbury & Telford, East Kent, Nottingham and Leeds.

Mr Streeting announced his volition to behaviour a reappraisal of maternity attraction successful June and had hoped nan activity would beryllium underway by now and completed by nan extremity of December.

In his letter, Mr Streeting told nan families much activity was needed connected appointing nan sheet of experts who will support Baroness Amos, arsenic good arsenic connected nan position of reference of nan review.

Some families person contacted Mr Streeting successful caller weeks, expressing immense reservations astir nan group nan Department of Health and Social Care had projected to beryllium connected nan panel.

Families successful some Leeds and Sussex person many times requested that nan elder nurse Donna Ockenden lead their inquiries - nary determination connected that has been made either.

Ms Ockenden is presently starring a reappraisal of maternity attraction successful Nottingham, owed to beryllium completed adjacent year, pinch astir 2,500 cases being examined.

Reports elsewhere person recovered mediocre maternity attraction has led to preventable deaths:

• In March 2015 an investigation recovered mothers and babies died unnecessarily astatine nan University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust betwixt 2004 and 2013 - nan study described a dysfunctional civilization pinch substandard objective skills, mediocre consequence assessments and a repeated nonaccomplishment to decently analyse cases and study lessons.
• In March 2022 an investigation into services astatine nan Shrewsbury & Telford NHS Trust recovered much than 200 mothers and babies could person survived pinch amended care.
• Then, successful October that year, a reappraisal into maternity services astatine East Kent Hospitals University NHS trust recovered astatine slightest 45 babies mightiness person survived if they had been fixed due treatment.