Nottingham maternity crisis: Families call to meet PM over failings
Dr Hawkins said similar reviews into NHS failings had taken place and not achieved the results families had wanted, which is why he has backed calls for a national judge-led public inquiry."I think we're very clear that it's been tried before in various subtly different ways, and it will not work," he said."What we absolutely have to have is a statutory public inquiry, where people give evidence under oath, and are at risk of perjury in a court, just like the Post Office inquiry."There are thousands and thousands of avoidably dead babies and children in this country, in a system run by the state."Ms Hawkins and other affected families met with Streeting last week.While she said he "has done more for us as families than any other health secretary", the desire for a judge-led inquiry remains."Families still don't feel like this is far enough," she said."I think it is happening right across England, and there may be hotspots where people are voicing their concerns and their thoughts, but there are also lots of families out there who are on their own and don't have support, and they really need a widespread public inquiry to look at all of this."Nottingham families are very keen that the prime minister now comes up and sees us and sees the damage and the harm that we will suffer for the rest of our lives."It's important that he knows not only what's going on in Nottingham but what's going on across the country."
Felicity Benyon was fitted with a stoma in 2015 after her bladder was removed in error during an emergency hysterectomy after a Caesarean section.She said her experience "has got more scary as the years have gone on" as she has heard about failings "not only in NHS maternity but the NHS as a whole"."The more and more I have an involvement with the NHS, each time they mess something up, and it just makes it harder and harder for me to see a doctor or go to hospital," she told BBC Radio Nottingham."I have an absolute fear now of doctors or anything [in a] hospital or medical setting - there is no trust."Ms Benyon, of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, said she supported the ongoing Ockenden review, which was "really getting to the root causes of what's gone wrong at NUH".She described the new national investigation as "a positive step forward", but more needed to be done."It doesn't hold anyone to account, and accountability is a huge part of what we feel is needed, because too many people have got away with too much for too long," she said."I think the plan is a great first start for short-term goals, for making quick changes for making mums and babies safer, but we need a public inquiry to hold people to account."
Analysis
By Rob Sissons, health correspondent, BBC East MidlandsNothing has ever come easy for Nottingham's campaigning families harmed by catastrophic maternity failings - they had to fight for a meaningful review into Nottingham's maternity services after the first one was discredited.Wes Streeting apologised that they had to fight so hard for justice after they described to him being "gaslit, ignored and lied to".The rapid investigation ordered by the current health secretary will look at wider major concerns across the country, and is not expected to get going much before August and deliver findings by Christmas.There is going to be a focus on 10 of what are described as the "worst performing" maternity services, but it is not clear how exactly these will be selected apart from it being data-driven, and some communities may feel left behind in this process.Harmed families who campaign in Nottingham are convinced nothing short of a major national judge-led statutory public inquiry will deliver meaningful change and expose the truth of what has gone wrong and cover-ups.The health secretary has left the door open to a national inquiry and is expected to decide whether to recommend one after the rapid investigation reports.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
I'm a doctor - this one household feature is slowly harming your health
A common household feature may be unknowingly creating an unseen health risk – and it's hiding in plain sight. According to GP Dr Emily Carter, older carpets pose an unexpected health threat. 'People usually think of carpets as harmless,' said Dr Carter. 'But old carpets can be a major source of indoor pollution.' Carpets are known to trap allergens like dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mould spores, and even chemical residues from cleaning products or smoke. Over time, these build up in the fibres and can trigger or worsen health issues especially in children, the elderly, and those with asthma or allergies. The difficulty is that this build-up can occur gradually - even when older carpet is regularly vacuumed or appears clean. There are certain recurring health symptoms to be on the look out for that may indicate that your home environment could be be impacting on your health. Signs include frequent sneezing, coughing, or itchy eyes while indoors, worsening allergy or asthma symptoms. Feeling tired or headachy without clear cause is another indicator. Sudden skin irritations - especially in younger children – can also result from carpet-trapped allergens. However, the tricky part with many of these symptoms is that many may be mistaken for seasonal allergies or minor colds. Dr Carter, who is also a UK-based mother of two young children, said she had seen first-hand the health issues that can be caused by older carpets. 'I've seen it in my own family, my youngest started getting skin rashes and breathing problems that we couldn't explain,' Dr Carter said. 'After having our carpets replaced and testing air quality, the symptoms started improving.' For anyone who is concerned about whether their carpet poses a possible health risk, the British doctor recommends a simple 'sniff test' as a first line assessment. 'If a room smells musty no matter how often you clean it, that's a red flag,' Dr Carter said. 'Especially in bedrooms, where people spend hours each night, clean air matters more than we think.' For families with babies, Dr Carter also urges extra caution: 'Young children spend a lot of time crawling and playing on floors.' 'Their immune systems are still developing, so they're more likely to react to mould spores and dust mites. If you notice frequent eczema flare-ups or a child often gets congested indoors, your flooring could be part of the problem.' According to My Home Improvements, most carpets should be replaced every 7–10 years, depending on usage, cleaning habits, and exposure to pets or dampness. The UK home renovation business suggests that any carpet over a decade old is likely to be 'past its best'. 'Your carpet is like a sponge, it absorbs everything that enters your home. Over time, it collects years of grime, allergens, and chemical residues that vacuuming can't always reach,' says an expert from My Home Improvements. 'Even professional deep cleans won't remove built-up toxins that have soaked into the padding underneath. 'Replacing old flooring might not be glamorous, but it could be the biggest upgrade you make for your health.'
BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
Wales debit card to pay for gluten free food in shops
People in Wales who cannot eat gluten will be given debit-style cards preloaded with money to help pay for their UK-first move, which begins later this year, will be an alternative to the current system where those with conditions such as coeliac disease - which affects about one in 100 people - get food on prescription from the Cherylee Barker, 54, from Narberth, Pembrokeshire, took part in a pilot scheme and got £14 a month, which she said "scratches the surface of the cost".A Coeliac UK report said a gluten free diet added 35% to food bills and Health Minister Jeremy Miles said the Welsh government wanted to "de-medicalise the supply of gluten-free foods". The new card will work like a chip and Pin bank card and be taken in most places that sell gluten-free food, including supermarkets, shops, community pharmacies and online stores, according to the Welsh would not say how much people will be given - just that it will vary by person and be regularly reviewed - or how much would be spent on the anticipate it will be "cost neutral" and not add any more to the NHS prescription model will still be available in Wales, which is similar to schemes in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Those with coeliac disease cannot eat gluten as their immune system attacks their own tissues and their body cannot properly take in nutrients. It results in symptoms including bloating, vomiting and diarrhoea. There is also an added cost . with gluten-free food more expensive Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons, the four leading supermarkets. The average price of a own brand loaf of bread was 63p, compared with £2.26 for a gluten-free penne pasta averaged 56p per 500g whereas the lowest gluten-free option averaged £1.22. Ms Barker has been part of the pilot scheme in the Hywel Dda health board area for the past five gets £42 every three months, which equates to £14 a month, and described the previous prescription system as "slightly embarrassing" and the food "not that edible".She said: "I didn't want to take the money from the NHS. I thought 'just suck it up and see' but after a little while I just found it was just becoming more and more expensive."It isn't a lifestyle choice, it is a need."Despite saying the card was "fantastic" she said the amount she got was only "scratching the surface" of rising costs for everybody, especially coeliacs. Bethan Williams, 24, from Cardiff, said prescriptions did not work for her as the food was low a vegetarian, she said the cash cards could give people with additional dietary needs the freedom to make healthy choices."I am in a good position that I can afford the higher quality bread but that is not the case for all people," she said."Eating food and being able to eat a balanced diet isn't a privilege, it's something everyone should be entitled to." For businesses such as Plumvanilla Cafe and deli in Narberth, which accepts the cash card, making sure they can serve the community's needs is becoming more Beere, who works at the cafe, said: "We've noticed more and more people shopping with gluten-free requirements so we like to keep a big stock."But she added it was a challenge balancing stocking the shelves with the high cost items and making sure nothing goes to waste. Miles said the move would cut "administrative burdens on GPs and pharmacies".He added: "For people living with coeliac disease, following a strict gluten-free diet is not a lifestyle choice but a medical necessity."We want to de-medicalise the supply of gluten-free foods in Wales, giving people more freedom to access the food they want to eat, more conveniently, to help them to manage their condition." Tristen Humphreys from Coeliac UK said: "We need to recognise that a gluten-free diet is the treatment for coeliac disease, it's a serious autoimmune disease not a lifestyle choice – we want that recognised."He added supporting people's diets would help prevent health complications down the line and was "cost efficient" for the NHS and called on other UK nations to follow suit. Additional reporting by Sara Dafydd
The Independent
11 hours ago
- The Independent
Why you should think twice about hugging lambs this summer
Health officials have issued a warning against kissing, cuddling, or holding lambs due to an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidiosis is a severe parasitic infection that causes serious gastrointestinal illness, with symptoms including watery diarrhoea and stomach pains. Public Health Wales has advised farmers to prevent close contact between visitors and lambs this summer to curb the spread; people should also wash their hands after contact with animals. The alert follows an investigation into 74 cases of cryptosporidium linked to a petting farm in Vale of Glamorgan earlier this year, which led to 16 hospitalisations, including a four-year-old boy. There were also 17 outbreaks of the infection connected to farms across England and Wales in the previous year.
