Families to take part in Nottingham maternity inquiry

Nottingham University Hospitals Trust runs the Queen's Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital

Seventy families have come forward to be a part of an independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH).

The aim of the review is to "drive rapid improvements to maternity services".

It comes after an investigation found 46 babies suffered brain damage and 19 were stillborn between 2010 and 2020.

Managers said they wanted the service, rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission, to be "good" by 2024.

The Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS England are jointly leading the review of maternity incidents, complaints and concerns at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH).

Cathy Purt, programme director of the review, said during a Nottingham City Council Health Scrutiny Committee meeting on Thursday: "We have had 70 families come forward 19 families have had their first interview with us.

"We have secured via the CCG specialist psychological support for the rest of the families so they will now be able to come forward and have their interviews as well.

"40 staff have come forward so far and more are coming as we go.

"We are doing reviews of board papers, the quality committee, we are looking at CCG board papers and NHS England papers as well."

The review will cover information dating back to 2006, and is expected to be completed by November 30 2022, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The trust said it aimed to achieve a "good" rating within three years

Chief nurse Michelle Rhodes and director of midwifery Sharon Wallis said they wanted the trust to return to a good or outstanding CQC rating by mid-2024.

Councillor Georgia Power, the meeting's chairperson, said: "The first time we had an NUH talk on maternity was January 2021 at which they promised that maternity would be good or outstanding in 12 months. It's been 13 now."

Ms Wallis replied: "We feel that three years is a realistic target for a good rating."

Staffing is also a "challenge" at the trust, where about three or four midwives leave every month.

Ms Wallis added 15 international midwives will start in July and student midwives are being offered automatic posts.