The head of the review into the failings of maternity services at Nottingham's hospitals has called on staff to make a ‘crucial’ contribution. Donna Ockenden, who is chairing the inquiry after dozens of baby deaths at Queen's Medical Centre and City Hospital, said a mixture of more than 70 former and current workers had made contact.
This is in addition to 700 families, who she said the review team were in the process of responding to individually. Ms Ockenden said staff were of “crucial importance” to the review.
“Staff on the ground often see when things are going well and when things are not going well,” she told Nottinghamshire Live. “They are of crucial importance to our review. What we would say to staff is: please come forward, you can be absolutely sure that any correspondence comes through to our secure server, it isn’t shared by the NHS and you can talk to us in confidence.”
Read more: Hundreds of families contact 'very large' review into Nottingham maternity services
The expert midwife, who led a similar inquiry that uncovered failings leading to 201 baby deaths in Shrewsbury, said as well as maternity ward staff, she wanted to hear from the likes of anaesthetists, theatre staff, housekeeping officials and porters. “This is not just about maternity staff, there will be a lot of staff within the trust and in the community, GPs included, who will work alongside maternity services,” she said.
“Maternity is not an island, there are lots of other contributors to safe maternity care. Just to assure staff, my team are ordinary staff and midwives too, they work in NHS trusts, understand maternity services and will totally understand what you are telling them.”
Ms Ockenden said staff can contact the review and give an anonymous account by emailing staffvoices@donnaockenden.com. The number of families who have made contact has almost doubled in the last month, but she says only a small handful were part of a group of 600 families who were part of the previous review led by the Nottinghamshire CCG.
“It’s so important to stress that they must do something,” said Ms Ockenden, who added that a letter would be sent to all of those who are yet to reach out. “There’s been a lot, in the first few weeks it’s already grown larger, we believe, than the previous CCG review. It is very sad to read some of the stories and some of the accounts, but it is important that families are doing the right thing and contacting us.
“By all of us working together - families, the review team and staff - we can all help maternity services across Nottinghamshire much safer and better more quickly.” Michelle Rhodes, chief nurse at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) said: “We support Donna Ockenden in calling for all our current and former colleagues to engage with this important and vital process.
"We are committed to making the necessary and lasting improvements to our maternity services and the voices of our staff, as well as those who have received care at our trust, will be invaluable to the review team.”
A team of 85 working health professionals are looking at cases as far back as 2012, as well as 'exceptional' cases dating back to 2006. NUH's maternity services at Queen's Medical Centre and City Hospital were rated 'inadequate' following an inspection from the Care Quality Commission in March.
Families wishing to contact the review can do so by emailing nottsreview@donnaockenden.com or by filling out an online form here
Read next:
Nottingham maternity review: Why everyone needs to be paying attention
The scope of Nottingham maternity review which will cover baby deaths from 2012
- Nottingham maternity report finds evidence of 'bullying behaviour'
- CQC demands 'widespread and rapid' maternity service improvements at NUH
- Read more health news from across Nottinghamshire
