Mother says new maternity inquiry not enough

Charlotte Cheshire said she had 'mixed feelings' about the Health Secretary's announcement

The mother of a boy who was left severely disabled because of hospital failings has said a planned six-month investigation into maternity care does not go far enough.

On Monday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced an England-wide inquiry into maternity care and a task force to look at the issue.

Charlotte Cheshire, from Newport in Shropshire, said it was a "good start", but she questioned its effectiveness and said a full public inquiry was needed.

She also said hospitals should be made to "act on the recommendations that have already been given".

Mrs Cheshire's son Adam suffered life-changing injuries following an infection he developed after his birth at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

She said she had mixed feelings about the health secretary's announcement but welcomed his apology and acknowledgement of the harm done to families.

In 2022, an inquiry led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden found catastrophic failures at the Shropshire hospital trust might have led to the deaths of and life-changing injuries to hundreds of babies, as well as the deaths of nine mothers.

Referring to that investigation and others, Mrs Cheshire told BBC Radio Shropshire: "We've already had years-long investigations that haven't produced measurable change, so I think that [Streeting] has to go further to a full inquiry that actually has teeth.

"I think it's a public inquiry that has the potential for health bosses to have to testify under oath and to then be accountable in law."

She added: "I just fear that a fast moving, six-month investigation doesn't go far enough. I think we need more."

Referring again to previous inquiries, she said she wanted the government to "hold the NHS trusts to account for all the recommendations that have already been made".

Her other concern is over the timescale of the England-wide inquiry.

It is due to report back by December and she said: "That's an incredibly short timeframe to actually get to the truth of what's going on when we've had previous years-long inquiries."

In his announcement, Streeting said the review would involve the victims of maternity scandals, giving families a voice into how the inquiry is run.

He said he wanted to ensure "no parent or baby is ever let down again".

The announcement was praised by another woman affected by the Shropshire maternity scandal, Rhiannon Davies, who said: "It's clear that Wes Streeting has listened to the families."

Correction 1 July 2025: An earlier version of this story wrongly gave the impression Charlotte Cheshire is against the idea of another maternity inquiry. We have updated the headline and report to make clear she believes what Wes Streeting has proposed does not go far enough and would like to see a full public inquiry.