NHS Ockenden review of Nottingham maternity care released

A major independent review detailing systemic failures in maternity care at a major National Health Service trust is set to be published on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. The report, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, is expected to expose years of poor care, cover-ups, and avoidable harm at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the City Hospital and Queen's Medical Centre.

The review, the largest of its kind in NHS history, examined more than 2,500 cases involving families who suffered serious harm between 2012 and 2025. Its findings are anticipated to show that failures at every level led to hundreds of avoidable deaths of mothers and babies, stillbirths, and cases of severe infant brain injury. The 350-page report is also expected to detail an institutional cover-up, where senior leaders allegedly hid staff errors, downgraded failings, and dismissed mothers' concerns over more than a decade.

The inquiry was government-ordered following a 2020 media investigation and a relentless campaign by bereaved families seeking answers. It has gathered experiences from approximately 2,500 families and over 800 staff members. However, investigators noted that half of the 60...