Last reviewed: 24 June 2026
Published on 24th June 2026, the Ockenden Report into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is the largest maternity review in NHS history. The review, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, considered the experiences of 2,500 families and found that 162 deaths (made up of 94 stillbirths, 62 neonatal deaths, and 6 maternal deaths) were avoidable with better care. A further 520 mothers and babies suffered potentially preventable harm. For families in England and Wales affected by maternity failings at Nottingham University Hospitals, the report is a moment of recognition and, for many, a starting point.
Key Points
- Published on 24 June 2026, the Ockenden Report examined the maternity care of 2,500 families at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and found that 162 deaths were avoidable (94 stillbirths, 62 neonatal deaths, and 6 maternal deaths).
- The review identified a toxic, bullying culture at the trust, persistent failure to listen to families, and a pattern of silencing junior staff and parents who raised safety concerns.
- Half of all cases involving hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, oxygen deprivation causing serious brain injury, were avoidable with better care.
- The government responded on 24 June 2026 by committing to extend Martha’s Rule to all maternity and neonatal settings in England and by introducing new compulsory evidence powers for maternity investigations.
- Families who received negligent maternity care at Nottingham University Hospitals may be entitled to bring a clinical negligence claim in England and Wales; specialist legal advice can help them understand their options.
For four years, more than 2,500 families in Nottingham waited for answers. They waited while the review gathered evidence, while hundreds of staff gave testimony, and while the trust that had failed them continued to operate. On 24 June 2026, Donna Ockenden published the findings of the largest independent maternity review in NHS history, and the weight of what those families already knew was finally set down in writing.
The Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust runs two hospital sites in England: the Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital. The independent review was commissioned in September 2022 and closed to new cases on 31 May 2025. By that point, it had received cases from 2,500 families whose maternity care at the trust raised serious concerns. For families in England and Wales, the report published today confirms what many had long feared.
Donna Ockenden was explicit in her findings: a toxic culture took hold at the trust and persisted. Women who raised alarms were told their concerns stemmed from anxiety. Senior clinicians and hospital bosses silenced staff who spoke up. And families often learned the truth about what had happened to them only years later, frequently for the first time when they sought legal advice.
What did the Ockenden Report find about Nottingham maternity failings?
The Ockenden Report found that 162 deaths at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust were avoidable: 94 stillbirths, 62 neonatal deaths, and 6 maternal deaths. A further 520 mothers and babies suffered potentially preventable harm. In cases involving hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, a serious brain injury caused by oxygen deprivation during birth, half of all cases reviewed were avoidable with better care. Among 115 cases of severe maternal blood loss, 26% were deemed avoidable.
The failures were not the result of individual error in isolation. The review found a deeply embedded culture at the trust in which powerful senior leaders created an atmosphere of intimidation, routinely dismissed patients’ concerns, and made staff who raised safety concerns feel unwelcome. Over 800 current and former staff engaged with the review; a significant majority reported that staffing levels were not safe, and over 40% had personally witnessed or experienced bullying by colleagues or managers.
As Donna Ockenden stated in the Final Report of the Independent Review of Maternity Services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (2026): “To every family who came forward, I want to say this: we have listened. It is my sincere hope that through this Review you now feel as though your voices have been heard and what happened to you and your families has been recognised and will be acted upon.”
The impact on mothers extended beyond immediate physical harm. Of the mothers reviewed who reported severe psychological trauma, 75% had received suboptimal clinical care. A parliamentary committee has found that nationally, one in three women experience trauma during childbirth; at Nottingham, the review found that substandard care was a significant driver of that trauma. Families were frequently kept in the dark about what had happened, with information withheld or complaints met with dismissal rather than honest investigation.
What changes has the Ockenden Report called for in maternity care?
The Ockenden Report sets out essential actions for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, specifically, and system-wide recommendations for maternity care across England. The overarching principle, confirmed in the report itself, is that women, families, and staff must be able to seek urgent additional clinical review when they have concerns about deteriorating care. This right was denied to too many families in Nottingham.
The most significant national response announced on 24 June 2026 was the government’s commitment to extend Martha’s Rule to all maternity and neonatal wards in England. Martha’s Rule gives every parent the right to request a rapid review from an independent clinical team if they believe a baby’s or mother’s condition is deteriorating and their concerns are not being addressed. The scheme had already been piloted in 15 maternity and neonatal settings; full national rollout follows directly from the Nottingham review’s findings.
The government also announced that NHS executives and staff who refuse to cooperate with maternity investigations could face up to two years in prison under new compulsory evidence powers. Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, James Murray, confirmed that a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State, would develop a National Action Plan drawing on the report’s recommendations alongside Baroness Amos’ report. Since 2025, the government has invested £145 million to improve the safety of maternity and neonatal care facilities.
Locally, the report calls for enhanced staff training, a genuine culture of speaking up, improved fetal monitoring, and increased psychological support for families. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has accepted the report’s findings, issued an unreserved apology, and introduced a new helpline from 24 June 2026 for families who used NUH maternity and neonatal services and have concerns following publication of the report.
Can families affected by Nottingham maternity failings make a legal claim?
Yes. Families who received negligent maternity care at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust in England and Wales may be entitled to bring a clinical negligence claim. A claim can arise where a healthcare provider owed a duty of care to a mother or baby, the care provided fell below the standard expected of a reasonably competent practitioner, and that failure caused injury or loss. The Ockenden Report’s findings that 162 deaths and 520 further cases of harm were potentially avoidable will be significant for families who have long-standing questions about what happened to them.
The types of harm identified in the report, including stillbirth, neonatal death, hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, cerebral palsy, severe maternal haemorrhage, and psychological trauma, can all form the basis of a clinical negligence claim where the evidence supports it. Many of the failures identified, such as failing to respond to a deteriorating mother or baby, failing to escalate concerns to senior clinicians, and failing to monitor fetal wellbeing appropriately, are recognised by courts in England and Wales as capable of founding liability.
Time limits apply. In England and Wales, a clinical negligence claim must generally be brought within three years of the date of the negligent act or within three years of the date on which the claimant first had knowledge that a failure in care caused the harm suffered. Where a child has suffered a brain injury, the three-year period does not begin to run until the child’s 18th birthday. Different rules apply in cases involving bereavement. Anyone who believes their family may have been affected should seek specialist legal advice as early as possible.
Donna Ockenden noted that many families only discovered the truth about their care years after the event, frequently for the first time when they consulted a solicitor. If today’s report has raised questions that have never been answered, that is a legitimate and important reason to seek advice. Specialist birth injury solicitors can review what happened, obtain independent medical evidence, and guide families through what can be a difficult but necessary process.
Talk to our birth injury team
If you or someone you love received maternity care at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust that caused harm, we are here to help. Our specialist birth injury solicitors act for families across England and Wales in medical negligence claims arising from negligent maternity and neonatal care, including stillbirth, neonatal death, hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, cerebral palsy, and maternal injury. We understand how difficult it is to revisit what happened, and we will treat you and your family with care, honesty, and respect throughout. To speak with a member of our team, please fill in our contact form.
This article does not constitute legal advice.
Author – Hakim Zadi
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Ockenden Report cover all NHS maternity services in England?
No, the report published on 24th June 2026 relates specifically to maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, covering the Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital. The essential actions and system-wide recommendations in the report are directed at NHS maternity services across England, but the detailed clinical findings concern the Nottingham trust. Separate independent maternity reviews are underway at NHS trusts in Leeds and Sussex. The report does not apply directly to NHS Wales, NHS Scotland, or NHS Northern Ireland, which have their own governance arrangements.
What is Martha's Rule and how does it help maternity patients?
Martha’s Rule is a patient safety initiative that gives any mother or family member the right to request an urgent, independent clinical review if they believe a patient’s condition is deteriorating and their concerns are not being heard. On 24th June 2026, the government confirmed that Martha’s Rule will be extended to all maternity and neonatal wards in England, following the Ockenden Report’s findings that women in Nottingham were repeatedly dismissed when they raised concerns about their own or their baby’s safety. Martha’s Rule is named after Martha Mills, who died in 2021 aged 13 after developing sepsis following a pancreatic injury; a coroner ruled in 2022 that Martha would probably have survived had she been moved to intensive care sooner.
Is there a time limit for a birth injury or maternity negligence claim?
Yes, in England and Wales, the general time limit for bringing a clinical negligence claim is three years from the date of the negligent act, or from the date on which the claimant first had knowledge that a failure in care caused the harm suffered. For claims on behalf of a child who has suffered a brain injury, the three-year period does not begin until that child turns 18. Claims arising from a bereavement are subject to different rules. Because time limits are strictly applied and can be difficult to calculate, taking specialist legal advice as early as possible is important.
