Shropshire and Leeds hospitals dropped from national maternity review

Two England NHS trusts have been removed from a review of maternity failings led by Baroness Valerie Amos.

The news trusts in Shropshire and Leeds had been dropped comes after the government said it would carry out rapid examinations of “failures in the system”, confirming last month they were two of 14 included.

However, the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH) has been dropped after “discussions with West Mercia Police about the detail and schedule of [an] ongoing investigation”. The decision has left families shocked.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has also been removed, following a “separate maternity inquiry announced by the Secretary of State” on Monday, the review body said.

The national inquiry is due to urgently look at the worst-performing maternity and neonatal services in the country and to report back by December.

In 2022, a review of maternity services in Shropshire, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, concluded catastrophic failures may have led to the deaths of more than 200 babies, nine mothers and left other infants with life-changing injuries.

West Mercia Police began its own investigation in 2020, to explore whether there was evidence to support a criminal case against the trust or any individuals involved.

Earlier this year, the force announced it had started interviewing current and former members of staff.

Charlotte Cheshire, of Newport in Shropshire, has a son who was left severely disabled because of maternity failings in the county.

She said she was “absolutely horrified” to hear SaTH had been removed from the review.

She learned of the decision when a letter was sent to some parents on Tuesday.

The decision to exclude Shropshire and Leeds from the review would mean stories from families would not be heard, she explained.

“I cannot see how there is any possibility of Baroness Amos and her team actually getting to the bottom of the issues that could improve maternity care going forward,” Ms Cheshire said.