The Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) says it will be more honest with families affected by maternity failings as a major review into its services continues. It comes after The Sunday Times reported a significant change to the way the maternity review is being run, which means around 1,700 families are now expected to have their cases examined.
The review into Nottingham's maternity services began in September last year and at a meeting today (July 10), NUH will commit to a more transparent relationship with the families involved. Nick Carver, the Chair of NUH, said: "For too long we have failed to listen to women and families who have been affected by failings in our maternity services. This 'brick wall' has caused additional pain, and this must change.
"Families should not have to fight to get the answers they deserve and we are committed to gaining their trust, and the trust of all our communities by listening and engaging with them. Some families, who we have had the chance to meet, have told us they want a meaningful apology that they recognise as meeting their needs, including accountability and a change in the culture.
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"We will work with them and other families to make that happen. We recognise there will be families who haven't had the chance to come forward yet and we will want their views on how we go about putting things right for them too.
"We agree with the families when they tell us that engagement with them will help us make sustainable improvements to our maternity services." The Sunday Times report over the weekend said families will now have to "opt-out" of the maternity review if they do not want to be involved, rather than the current method of them opting in.
The change will leave the inquiry free to investigate all remaining cases. NUH's annual public meeting will also include an update from Donna Ockenden, the Chair of the Independent Review into Maternity Services at NUH.
Ms Ockenden, said: "Today is the start of a journey for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. There needs to be rebuilding of the trust between its maternity services, families who use those services and the many families who we know have been avoidably harmed when using the Trust’s maternity services.
"The Trust has made a commitment today to walk a new path, listening to families and acting upon what they are told. The journey can’t be completed overnight. It is a long journey and needs to happen one step at a time.
"As Chair of the Independent Review into Maternity Services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust I want to reiterate what a privilege it is for my team and I to be trusted by so many hundreds of local families.
"My promise today is the same promise I made on the first day of the review in September 2022: as an independent review team we will do absolutely everything we can to ensure that every voice is heard, that no one is left behind and not heard, and finally that what families tell us will, without a doubt, contribute to making maternity services safer and more inclusive for all families in Nottinghamshire."
