Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting has called for MPs to question senior staff who refused to participate in an independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust. Mr Streeting was scathing in his criticism, labelling their decision as "cowardice" and an "insult" to families affected by the scandal.
The comprehensive review, led by Donna Ockenden, investigated serious failings in maternity care at NUH, revealing evidence of avoidable harm to hundreds of mothers and babies. The inquiry examined approximately 2,500 families' experiences and involved over 800 current and former NUH staff members. However, Ms Ockenden revealed that her inquiry faced "gaps" in knowledge because 31 senior colleagues out of 66 initially approached chose not to be interviewed.
Mr Streeting's letter to Layla Moran MP, Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee, argued that those who withheld evidence should be compelled to explain their actions. He stated this was crucial to tackle a perceived "cover-up culture" within the NHS. The committee has the authority to compel witnesses within the UK to attend and provide testimony, with the potential threat of being held in contempt of Parliament if they refuse.
The Ockenden report highlighted that different care pathways might have altered the outcome for 260 babies who died or were harmed. In one such case, Harriet Hawkins was stillborn in 2016 following delayed intervention, and the review found her case "was compounded by a systemic cover-up and investigations designed to mislead."
However, Jack Hawkins, Harriet's father and a former consultant doctor at the trust, expressed concerns about the timing of parliamentary scrutiny. He highlighted that it could potentially interfere with an ongoing police investigation into maternity failings at NUH. Mr Hawkins reiterated his belief that a statutory public inquiry would be the most effective forum for accountability.
Anthony May, current Chief Executive of NUH, has stated that senior executives currently working for the trust have fully engaged with the review. This development underscores the ongoing challenges in ensuring transparency and accountability within NHS trusts facing serious allegations of care failures, and the complex interplay between different investigative and oversight bodies.