National maternity review will not ‘sideline’ Nottingham probe, pledges chair

The high-profile chair of a major maternity review into care failures in Nottingham has pledged to ensure its results “will not be sidelined” by the government’s national investigation.

Concerns Donna Ockenden’s findings could be sidelined, followed ministers announcing in September that the national maternity review’s recommendations would “supersede the multiple existing actions and recommendations already in place”.

While Ms Ockenden’s Nottingham University Hospitals Trust inquiry began in 2022, it is not due to report until June. And a spokesman for the Nottingham families told HSJ this week that they had heard “credible rumours of an attempt to minimise and overshadow” the review.

The government’s national review, led by Baroness Valerie Amos – which this week published a call for evidence  – is due in the spring.

Ministers also said that “Baroness Amos and her team will draw on [previous reviews] to create one clear, national set of actions to improve care across the country”.

In response to the concerns about the status of her independent inquiry, Ms Ockenden said: “I cannot see any reason why anyone who has any understanding of maternity services would even be thinking of sidelining Nottingham.

“Nottingham is the largest ever inquiry into a single service in the history of the NHS. We, as a review team, have worked with diligence with families across Nottinghamshire.”

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Source: HSJ, 23 January 2026