Leeds families who have been campaigning for years have finally been promised a fully independent inquiry into local maternity services.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced the inquiry, expressing shock at the «repeated maternity failures» faced by families, worsened by the inadequate response from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Despite being one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe, the trust is considered an outlier in perinatal mortality rates based on official data.
In June, the Care Quality Commission downgraded maternity services at the trust to «inadequate», citing serious risks to women and babies and a toxic «blame culture» that silenced staff from speaking up.
The launch of the inquiry has been welcomed by grieving families.
In 2023, an inquest determined that Fiona Winser-Ramm and Daniel Ramm’s first child, Aliona, died in 2020 due to neglect by medical staff.
«After our daughter’s death, we were informed that they had never encountered anything like it before. At first, we believed it,» stated Ms Winser-Ramm.
Fiona Winser-Ramm’s baby died in 2020 after failings by staff
«We believed that we were the first and only ones experiencing this. In our deepest grief, we needed to connect with others who understood, who were going through the same,» she added.
Mr Ramm expressed that the inquiry was long overdue.
«As a collective of families, we have spent years trying to bring to light the issues that we knew existed all along,» he said.
Daniel Ramm says the inquiry has been ‘a long time coming’
Lauren Caulfield’s baby Grace was stillborn in 2022, and an investigation revealed deficiencies in her care.
«As bereaved parents, we should not have had to lead this campaign for so many years. «It’s such a relief to know that we don’t have to continue fighting,» she expressed. After enduring deep despair and grief, the need to connect with others who shared their experiences was crucial for the bereaved families in Leeds. This sentiment was echoed by a statement from one individual who emphasized the importance of finding solidarity with those who understood their pain. The inquiry into the local maternity services was described as long overdue by Mr. Ramm, who highlighted the years spent trying to bring attention to existing problems within the system.
Lauren Caulfield, who tragically lost her baby Grace in 2022 due to failings in her care, expressed relief at the prospect of not having to continue campaigning for justice after so many years of advocacy. The stark contrast between the scale of the issue and the lack of safety standards prompted Health Secretary Wes Streeting to order an urgent inquiry in Leeds. The goal was to provide families with the honesty and accountability they deserved while putting an end to the normalization of maternal and infant deaths in maternity units.
Brendan Brown, the chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, issued an apology to the families for their harrowing experiences and the challenges they faced in raising concerns. He reassured them of the Trust’s commitment to engaging openly and transparently with the independent inquiry. The families awaited the confirmation of the investigation’s terms of reference and advocated for police involvement in the process. They also called for the inquiry to be chaired by midwife Donna Ockenden, known for leading a review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The inclusion of Leeds in a growing list of areas facing scrutiny for failures in maternity care, such as Morecambe Bay, Shrewsbury, East Kent, and ongoing inquiries in Nottingham, underscored the systemic issues prevalent across England. The families affected by these failures sought justice, accountability, and a commitment to improving maternity services to prevent future tragedies. The unacceptable response of the trust only worsened the situation.» Despite being one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust «remains an outlier on perinatal mortality», according to official data. In June, the Care Quality Commission downgraded maternity services at the trust to «inadequate», citing serious risks to women and babies and a deep-rooted «blame culture» that silenced staff. Grieving families have welcomed the launch of the inquiry. In 2023, an inquest concluded that Fiona Winser-Ramm and Daniel Ramm’s first baby, Aliona, died in 2020 due to neglect from medical staff. Ms. Winser-Ramm expressed her disappointment in the initial response, stating that they believed they were the only ones facing such tragedy. Mr. Ramm emphasized the long overdue need for the inquiry, mentioning the years spent trying to expose the existing problems. Additionally, Lauren Caulfield’s baby Grace was stillborn in 2022 due to care failings, prompting her to campaign for justice as a grieving parent.
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