Families call for inquiry into hospital baby deaths

More than 350 families are calling for an inquiry into care by Oxford University Hospitals Trust

A woman, who is part of a group calling for an independent inquiry into maternity care at hospitals, has said she doesn't "want anyone else to have their baby die".

Alice, from Oxford, is one of more than 350 families that said some babies have died, or been left with life-changing disabilities, as a result of failures in care by Oxford University Hospitals Trust (OUH).

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) undertook an inspection in 2021 after a whistleblower reported concerns about the trust and its rating was downgraded from "good" to "requires improvement".

The trust said it "thoroughly" reviews every detail of cases "to determine if any aspects could have been managed differently".

Alice said her pregnancy started as low risk but a test at about 20 weeks showed there could be higher risk because the placenta was not working well.

"I was given scans every two to four weeks but they stopped at 36 weeks," she said.

"I called and pointed out that I am high risk and they just said 'we don't do that', so I trusted it was safe."

She said when her daughter had died she "didn't want to believe that they'd messed up".

"This is something that you live with for the rest of your life. She lost her entire life."

Speaking to BBC Radio Oxford, Alice said she and her partner had been left with severe PTSD and depression.

"There needs to be an inquiry, there are preventable deaths happening. I don't want anyone else to have their baby die," she said.

Data from the Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries (MBRRACE-UK) collaboration shows that in 2023, Oxford University Hospitals Trust had a stillbirth rate of 3.6 per 1,000 births.

It is the highest figure among hospitals it is grouped with, with the average within that group being 3.42 per 1,000.

Yvonne Christley, OUH chief nursing officer, said she was "proud of the dedication of our midwives, obstetricians, and support staff".

"I am pleased that most women report having had a good experience with our services. Unfortunately, there are times when things do not go as planned."

She said they offer bereavement and other support services in the cases of "tragic situations".

"Additionally, we thoroughly review every detail of the incident to determine if any aspects could have been managed differently," she said, adding that they welcomed and learned from both positive or negative feedback.

The trust reported its stillbirth rate "has decreased each year since 2021" but its rates "are slightly higher than the average for our comparator group".

"While the difference in rates is minimal and the numbers are small, the trust is examining each case to understand the possible causes of this discrepancy and to determine if it is related to any issues in care," it said.

Addressing concerns

Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, who also chairs the Health and Social Care Committee, said that "unfortunately", stories like Alice's were "common across the country".

"[It] is the issue that my committee over the years has been especially concerned by.

"The fact that the parents are speaking out and telling their stories is really valuable."

Ms Moran said the hospital had addressed concerns following a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report in 2021, such as maternity staffing levels.

"I am pleased to report that I went to go visit the wards and met the head midwife ... they were very close to recruiting the last midwife and having a full compliment.

"I would like to see the maternity service reinspected by the new CQC to see if it's improved since the last inspection."

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