Senior midwife Donna Ockenden open to leading other maternity inquiries

Hundreds of babies have died or been injured while in the care of Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust, which runs maternity services at the City Hospital and Queen’s Medical Centre.

The units, which are currently considered in need of improvement by the health watchdog, remain at the center of the largest investigation of their kind, with around 2,500 cases examined.

In June, Streeting announced a national inquiry into maternity care in England, which would involve victims of scandals such as Nottingham.

Ms Ockenden said she had discussed the issue with bereaved families in Nottingham and said she “felt confident” there was a way to do more without affecting the work she has done so far.

She said she would be willing to chair the inquiry in Leeds and a review of maternity at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust, describing it as an “honour” to be considered.

The BBC has learned that Nottingham families are supportive of Ms Ockenden leading further criticism.

“We need to learn in this country that families shouldn’t have to fight so hard to get the answers they deserve,” she said.

“We saw it at the start of the Nottingham review and we saw it at Shrewsbury and Telford, it’s not good enough.

“It’s always an honor and a privilege when families trust me and say they want me, but it’s not my decision, it’s the Secretary of State’s.”

She said nine families had been in contact with Streeting and asked him to carry out a review of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust – which has maternity units in Brighton, Chichester, Haywards Heath and Worthing.

Asked about calls for her to take on the job, she said: “Again, the feelings are the same, it’s an honor to have the trust of the families, it’s not my decision but there are ways to make it work.

“My promise, and I have discussed this in depth with families and Nottingham MPs, is that this will not impact the quality or timing of their review.”

Streeting said he knew families in Leeds had told him recently it was “Donna or bust”.

“She will not lead the inquiry in Leeds, not least because she is leading the work in Nottingham, Shrewsbury and Telford,” he said.

“If I could clone her I would, but because Donna has earned the trust of the families she works with, everyone wants Donna, I understand that and I have immense respect for her.

“But I need to make sure I protect the work Donna is already doing, but I also need to build a wider team of people who can support the government and the NHS if something goes wrong.”

Streeting said the government was “drawing up a potential list” of candidates to chair the review in Leeds.