Police investigating deaths of two babies last year at scandal-hit trust

Detectives have begun an investigation into the deaths of two babies at the hospital trust at the centre of the largest maternity scandal in NHS history.

The babies died in separate incidents last year at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, both during birth. One of them was a twin.

The cases were among 600 examined by West Mercia police alongside an inquiry by Donna Ockenden, a senior midwife and manager, into failings at the trust. Her report revealed last week that 201 babies had died and 94 suffered brain damage as a result of avoidable mistakes. Nine mothers also died because of errors in care.

Detectives are working with prosecutors to determine whether charges should be brought over the two deaths last year, after years of warnings that maternity services were in crisis. West Mercia police said they were investigating the trust as an organisation as well as individuals.

The trust could face a charge of corporate manslaughter if it is found that the way the hospital organised and managed its services caused a death that amounted to a “gross breach” of its duty of care. If found guilty, the trust would face an unlimited fine. Individuals charged with gross negligence manslaughter could go to jail if convicted.

The move by the police comes amid growing fears that the unsafe care identified in the report could be taking place in maternity services in other parts of the country.

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Source: The Times, 3 April 2022