What's happened
Families affected by care at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust are meeting on Sept. 5 as an independent review led by Donna Ockenden enters its second day, inviting input to shape terms of reference. The inquiry aims to examine more than 1,000 maternity and neonatal cases dating back to 2018.
What's behind the headline?
Key questions for readers
- What is driving this review?
- How does it affect care going forward?
- Who is leading the inquiry and what is its scope?
Context and implications
- The review looks at over 1,000 cases dating back to 2018, with families invited to contribute to the terms of reference.
- Improved safety measures and transparency are expected outcomes, as the trust pledges to cooperate fully with investigators.
What to watch next
- How the inquiry addresses gaps in communication and bereavement support for families.
- Any published findings or recommendations that can change NHS maternity policy.
How we got here
The government has ordered a maternity and neonatal services review at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust after confirmed concerns about care in its facilities. Independent midwife Donna Ockenden is leading the inquiry, which follows prior NHS investigations into related maternity issues and aims to provide accountability and improvements for families affected by harm.
Our analysis
BBC Sussex reports on the Brighton meetings where families meet Donna Ockenden’s team, and the University Hospitals Sussex statement outlining improvements. The coverage frames the review as a central step in addressing past harms and shaping safer maternity services.
Go deeper
- What new details emerge from families at the hearings?
- When will the review publish its initial findings?
- How is the trust implementing changes while the inquiry runs?
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Donna Ockenden - British midwife and activist
Donna Ockenden is a British midwife, businesswoman and community activist. As a senior midwife, she was commissioned in 2016 by the UK Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, to chair an independent review into maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital
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University Hospitals Sussex - NHS foundation trust in Sussex
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust is an NHS foundation trust which provides clinical services to people in Brighton and Hove, parts of East Sussex and West Sussex.
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Sussex - Historic county of England, United Kingdom
Sussex, from the Old English Sūþsēaxe, is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom.