Parents angry as major maternity review scaled back

The "rapid review" is now focusing on 12 English NHS trusts, with a report due by December

Two NHS trusts have been removed from a review of maternity failings across England, angering campaigners for better care.

Trusts in Shropshire and Leeds have been dropped from the government's rapid reviews of "failures in the system".

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH) was removed after discussions with police about their ongoing investigation, while Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTH) is now part of a separate maternity inquiry announced on Monday.

Bereaved mothers Rhiannon Davies and Kayleigh Griffiths wrote of their "profound disbelief" at the "misguided decision".

In a letter to review chair Baroness Amos, the women who, with their husbands, campaigned for an inquiry into poor care at the Shropshire trust, said: "The experiences of families from Shrewsbury and Telford remain pivotal to understanding the origins and necessity of the national review."

The national review is due to look at the worst-performing maternity and neonatal services in the country and is scheduled to report back by December.

North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan said she was concerned how "a review into maternity care in the UK doesn't think it can learn from one of the most in-depth investigations into failings at a maternity unit over decades".

In Leeds, a BBC investigation found that the deaths at LTH of at least 56 babies and two mothers over the past five years may have been preventable.

Baroness Valerie Amos is leading a review into maternity failings across England

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he hoped the Leeds-focused inquiry, announced on Monday, would help families learn the truth about what went wrong in their care.

The trust's maternity units were downgraded from "good" to "inadequate" earlier this year, after unannounced inspections raised concerns that women and babies were "at risk of avoidable harm".

In a statement issued at the time, the trust told the BBC it was already "taking significant steps to address improvements".

In 2022, a review of maternity services in Shropshire, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, concluded catastrophic failures may have led to the deaths of more than 200 babies, nine mothers and left other infants with life-changing injuries.

Charlotte Cheshire, whose son was left severely disabled because of the maternity failings in Shropshire, fears the decision will leave the Amos review unable to get to the bottom of the issues

West Mercia Police began its own investigation in 2020, to explore whether there was evidence to support a criminal case against the trust or any individuals involved. The BBC has asked the force for comment.

Earlier this year, the force announced it had started interviewing current and former members of staff.

Rhiannon Davies, whose baby Kate died six hours after birth in 2009, told the BBC: "This is a high-level, thematic investigation... it's not looking at specific cases or events... therefore it can exist completely in parallel."

Replying to her letter, Baroness Amos apologised for the "distress" caused by the change, and said the families' views on "national aspects" of the inquiry could still be included.

'Absolutely horrified'

Charlotte Cheshire, of Newport in Shropshire, has a son who was left severely disabled because of maternity failings in the county.

She said she was "absolutely horrified" to hear SaTH had been removed from the review.

She learned of the decision when a letter was sent to some parents on Tuesday.

The decision to exclude Shropshire and Leeds from the review would mean stories from families would not be heard, she explained.

"I cannot see how there is any possibility of Baroness Amos and her team actually getting to the bottom of the issues that could improve maternity care going forward," Ms Cheshire said.

Morgan, who is also the Liberal Democrat health spokesperson, said: "I am quite concerned that a review into maternity care in the UK doesn't think it can learn from one of the most in-depth investigations into failings at a maternity unit over decades.

"I also think it's quite important that the families that were affected have their input.

"They were the first to come to light, they've been through incredible tragedy and trauma and I think their experience is relevant to that inquiry."