Latest news with #DonnaOckenden
ITV News
5 days ago
- Health
- ITV News
Nottingham City Hospital's striking doctor can be 'called off' picket line to treat sick babies
A striking doctor will be called off the picket line to treat sick babies at Nottingham City Hospital, after an agreement was reached with the union. The British Medical Association (BMA) has agreed an exemption with the hospital regarding the neonatal intensive care unit. A five-day walkout by resident doctors, formerly junior doctors, in England began on Friday, with members of the BMA at picket lines across the country. The BMA has argued that real-terms pay has fallen by around 20% since 2008, and is pushing for full 'pay restoration'. The union took out national newspaper adverts on Friday, saying it wanted to 'make clear that while a newly qualified doctor's assistant is taking home over £24 per hour, a newly qualified doctor with years of medical school experience is on just £18.62 per hour'. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has condemned the walkout, branding it "reckless" and "irresponsible", and said the government would not allow the BMA to 'hold the country to ransom'. He insisted the government is doing everything it can to minimise patient harm as thousands of doctors go on strike over pay. Following concerns over the safety and care of very sick babies in Nottingham City Hospital, an agreement has been reached allowing a resident doctor to leave the picket if they are called. In a statement on social media, the BMA said: "We have agreed a derogation at City Hospital, Nottingham for one resident doctor to support NICU on Saturday and Sunday. "If contacted we advise resident doctors to return to work. Thank you for your support for taking industrial action." ITV News Central has approached Nottingham University Hospitals Trust for a response. The trust is currently at the centre of the largest maternity inquiry in the history of the NHS, with over 2,500 cases of neonatal deaths being examined by senior midwife Donna Ockenden. It's also being investigated by Nottinghamshire Police for potential offences of corporate manslaughter, following the deaths and serious injuries related to maternity care. Following the announcement of a criminal investigation, Nick Carver, Chair at NUH and Anthony May, Chief Executive, put out a joint statement. It said: "It is absolutely right that we take organisational accountability where we have failed women, families and babies. "We are deeply sorry for the pain and suffering caused. We know that for many families this harm and suffering will be lifelong. "Since joining the Board, we have emphasised the importance of openness, transparency and accountability in our leadership and decision-making. We recognise that there is more to do. "We are fully committed to the ongoing police investigation and the Independent Review of Maternity Services, led by Donna Ockenden. "We would like to reassure the public that we are determined to improve our maternity services. 'We know how important the police investigation and independent review are for the affected families, the Trust and our local communities. We hope that affected families receive the answers that they deserve.'
BBC News
20-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
General Medical Council reviewing 35 Nottingham maternity cases
The body that regulates doctors says it is looking into complaints from 35 families who have shared concerns about Nottingham's maternity services.The city's two NHS hospitals are at the centre of the largest inquiry into NHS failings since the health service was founded in 1948, being led by Donna Ockenden, after hundreds of babies died or suffered harm.The General Medical Council (GMC) told the BBC it was also looking to talk to 33 other families about their maternity cases in organisation said investigations into the 35 family cases were at different stages. To begin with it "triages" cases with an initial assessment to check that allegations fall within the scope of the organisation's cases then move into the investigation stage where the GMC looks into cases further. This may involve gathering evidence, interviewing people and examining are a range of possible outcomes, including no further action, a warning or, where there is evidence of impaired fitness to practice, the case may be passed on to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) for a a case is proven, the tribunal can impose a range of sanctions, which can include ordering retraining or suspension from the medical register. The ultimate sanction is for someone to be removed from the register, sometimes described as being "struck off " which would bar someone from working as a doctor. Last weekend the GMC and the regulator of nurses and midwives, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) . apologised to harmed families for not responding quicker to the Nottingham maternity organisations plan to have surgeries in Nottingham where people can give information to both regulators about professional conduct they would like to be examined. The NMC told the BBC it currently has 12 family cases referred to it relating to Nottingham maternity cases mentioning 38 names of health professionals. Fourteen of those individuals were being investigated and would have been alerted to that, while the rest are concerns undergoing what are described as "screening checks" before a decision is made on whether to progress to a formal investigation. Harmed families in Nottingham have been pressing for greater individual accountability over maternity failings. A police investigation named Operation Perth is ongoing which will consider whether criminal charges should be brought against any individuals or whether there is a case of corporate manslaughter for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) to answer. The Care Quality Commission has successfully prosecuted the trust twice over the deaths of four babies. NUH has said it has an ongoing maternity improvement programme and is co-operating with the police and regulators.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Families hold 'positive' meeting over maternity failings
A group of families harmed by poor maternity care in Nottingham said their meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting was "incredibly positive".The parents of babies who died and were injured due to failings at maternity units in the city said the health secretary had moved away from an initial plan he was setting out on how to improve care across the the meeting in Nottingham on Thursday, the families said they felt they were listened to but stressed they "would not be going anywhere" without the confirmation of a full statutory public told the BBC he left the meeting with some "clear advice from families" about what he needs to do. Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust is at the centre of the largest maternity review in the history of the NHS, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, which is looking into about 2,500 individual who has already held two meetings in London this week with affected families from across the country, said he intended to announce his maternity safety plan in a speech next Monday. The BBC understands the plan included an improvement taskforce led by non-NHS officials, a buddying system between poorly performing and better trusts, and a restorative justice approach where hospitals and families would meet and vow to be open and was widely criticised by families but Streeting is said to have rowed back on the proposals in a two-and-a-half-hour meeting in a city centre hotel on Hawkins, whose daughter Harriet died in 2016 at Nottingham City Hospital, told the BBC: "The whole plan frankly was wrong. "But Wes has listened to that and has come up here to listen to us again which is fantastic."Ms Hawkins added the health secretary is "holding the door open" for a full statutory public inquiry but had not confirmed one."If Harriet stayed [with us], she would be nine now but the way I am her mother, is by doing this and I'm not going to give up until we get it," she Sissons, whose son Ryan was born with brain damage 17 years ago because of poor maternity care, added: "[The meeting] was incredibly positive today, Wes is a human and treats us like humans and treats us like parents. "As people who have been through this situation, that's quite rare." The health secretary said: "I met again with families who have endured the most devastating experiences imaginable - heartbreak caused by failures in NHS maternity care that should never have happened."They shared deeply painful stories of being ignored, mistreated, and left to cope with trauma and loss, all within a system that was meant to protect and care for them. "I heard about cover-ups, life-changing injuries, and a lack of basic compassion at the very moment when kindness and support were most needed."I want to say, from the bottom of my heart, how sorry I am for what they've been through - and how grateful I am for their courage in speaking out. "I gave them my word that I will do everything in my power to ensure no woman, no family, ever has to suffer like this again."I've left Nottingham with some clear advice from families about what they need me to do and how I can work together with them to improve maternity safety and also deliver honesty and accountability for victims."
BBC News
16-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Regulators apologise for Nottingham maternity scandal response
The organisations responsible for regulating the conduct of doctors, midwives and nurses have issued a public apology over the experience of families with maternity care of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and General Medical Council (GMC) addressed families in Nottingham at a meeting organised by Donna Ockenden on Saturday. The senior midwife is leading the biggest investigation into maternity failings in NHS history centred on Nottingham University Hospitals NHS trust (NUH)."We owe the people of Nottingham an apology," said Paul Rees, chief executive and registrar of the NMC. Mr Rees said his organisation "had not been proactive" and "did not engage with families well enough".He added: "I am pleased to say we have changed all this now." Mr Rees signalled the need to reach out to other communities about maternity care and accepted the NMC's website was "too confusing and complicated".He said it needed to be written in "plain English", adding it was vital people wanting to raise concerns understood how to get help from the organisation. Liz Jenkins, assistant director at the GMC, added: "We are sorry we haven't always got interactions with families right."Both organisations are now running regular "surgeries" for families to book in for discussions with individual health professionals. Sarah and Dr Jack Hawkins' daughter Harriet was stillborn in 2016 following maternity failings at City Hospital in Hawkins said they noticed a "step change" in the approach of the regulators which he attributed to the "power and determination" of families coming Hawkins said: "For a long time (when) families raised concerns with regulators it has been another fight to have. It is reassuring that has changed now." Sarah Sissons, whose son Ryan was born with brain damage 17 years ago because of poor maternity care, welcomed the regulators' said they "seemed to be wanting to do the right thing", but added: "Is it a little bit too late? Potentially. "They have a lot of work to do to rebuild trust with the parents. We will see." Ms Ockenden said: "My sense is they are now trying to engage effectively with the enormity of what has happened here in Nottingham."The NMC told the BBC it currently has 12 family cases referred to it relating to Nottingham maternity checks, called "screening", are being carried out in relation to 24 individuals. Meanwhile, the professional conduct of 14 people were moved to the "investigation stage". Both organisations have a range of sanctions if disciplinary hearings are eventually held and cases ultimate sanction is to strike off an individual from the professional register, which means they would no longer be able to Ockenden began an independent review into maternity failings in Nottingham in September 2022 and is due to deliver her findings in June 2026. In total, 2,361 cases where babies and women have died or been injured are being examined.
ITV News
10-06-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Families affected by Nottingham maternity scandal told data loss 'likely malicious'
A missing data file containing the details of cases was most likely deleted "maliciously". Nottinghamshire Police launched an investigation into the temporary loss of a computer file at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust. The file was recovered a few days after its deletion was spotted by the trust and led to more cases being added to the maternity inquiry. The trust remains at the centre of the biggest review of maternity failings in NHS history, being led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden. In a letter to families involved in the review from Deputy Chief Constable Rob Griffin, which has been seen by ITV News, it said the deletion was "most likely to have been done intentionally/maliciously rather than accidentally". Nottinghamshire Police said: "This investigation has been undertaken by my expert Cyber and Digital teams and has taken several months to complete," before adding: "We have not been able to find evidence sufficient to confirm the identity of the person responsible." Families affected by failings at Nottingham University Hospitals have said they are "distressed" and "appalled to hear this". In a statement, the Nottingham Affected Families Group said: "Nottingham families would like to thank the Police for their determined investigation. We are distressed that they were unable to find who did this. "We are appalled to hear this news, though sadly we are not surprised. "To know it is most likely an individual who most likely intentionally/maliciously deleted files of such importance is of grave concern. As families we all gave our trust to NUH staff in our most vulnerable state of life and we deserved better. "To know that there is most likely an individual who is capable of such behaviour is devastating for the already harmed and for the future of NUH safety. We call for openness at the worrying time and for the individual, their colleagues or anyone who knows anything about this to come forwards as a matter of urgency. This is a patient safety emergency.' NUH is the first trust to be prosecuted by healthcare watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) more than once after it was earlier fined £800,000 in 2023 for failures in the care of Wynter Andrews, who died 23 minutes after being born at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham in September 2019. Ms Ockenden chairs The Independent Review of Maternity Services into Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust - and found over 2,000 families' cases were included in the review. Hundreds of baby deaths took place at Queen's Medical Centre and City Hospital in the past decade, which led to a public inquiry investigation. Anthony May, Chief Executive of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "I would like to thank Nottinghamshire Police for their support in investigating this matter and we accept their findings. "Upon discovering this issue, the Trust informed Nottinghamshire Police and engaged fully in the investigation. We have put appropriate measures in place to secure the digital files so that this cannot happen again."
