Letters sent to more than 1,000 families in Nottingham maternity review

In a video update, Donna Ockenden said her team was ready to support those who had received letters

Letters have been sent to more than 1,000 families identified as having cases potentially relevant to an ongoing review of maternity services in Nottingham.

Midwife Donna Ockenden is leading a review into failings by Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust.

She said her team had been contacted by more than 700 families and 250 current and former staff members.

The trust said it was committed to making improvements.

The review comes after dozens of babies died or were injured at hospitals run by the trust.

Ms Ockenden was approached by families in Nottingham after chairing a review into the deaths of more than 200 babies at Shrewsbury in what was the UK's biggest maternity scandal.

A review of Nottingham's services was under way but later scrapped after critics said its remit was too narrow and that it was not independent enough.

Ms Ockenden said her team had since been contacted by more than 700 families and 250 current and former staff members

The latest review will consider cases in Nottingham that fall into five main categories:

• Stillbirths

• Neonatal deaths from 24 weeks gestation that occur up to 28 days of life; including neonatal serious incident reports and neonatal never events

• Babies diagnosed with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (grade two and three), and other significant hypoxic injury

• Maternal death up to 42 days post-partum

• Severe maternal harm

Ms Ockenden said: "You will receive a letter from me, but sent from the trust, asking you to give your consent to join our review.

"We appreciate that receiving such a letter may be difficult but we are here to support you as much as we can.

"It is important for you to reply to the letter to give your consent as we can not request your medical records from the trust or review your case without your consent."

A spokesperson for the hospital trust said letters would start arriving this week.

They contain information about the review and how people can get involved if they want to.

A spokesperson added: "We are committed to making the necessary and sustainable improvements to our maternity services and this is why we will continue to do all we can to support the work of the independent review."

• Families seeking to contact the inquiry team can email [e-mail]