Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust faces its second prosecution in recent years for maternity failings, following the deaths of several babies under its care. This latest case, brought by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), highlights ongoing concerns about the trust's performance and its ability to provide safe and effective maternity care.
Sarah and Gary Andrews, parents of baby Wynter who tragically died 23 minutes after birth in 2019 under the care of Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust, have expressed their profound disappointment after witnessing the trust's second prosecution for maternity failings . Wynter's death, alongside the deaths of Adele O'Sullivan, Kahlani Rawson, and Quinn Parker in 2021, led to the largest ever penalty for an NHS trust concerning maternity care.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) brought the current prosecution, highlighting alarming similarities between the cases, including inadequate communication systems, a failure to escalate care, and a lack of clear information sharing.These failings, as stated by District Judge Grace Leong during the sentencing at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, created a 'catalogue' of issues that placed mothers and babies at significant risk of avoidable harm. Judge Leong emphasized the recurring nature of these grave errors, despite numerous guidelines in place to assist medical staff. The court heard that NUH had been inspected again in April 2021, where several improvements were identified. However, separate inquests into the deaths of Adele, Kahlani, and Quinn revealed 'a series of errors' and 'missed opportunities' in their care.Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, watching the proceedings from the public gallery, were deeply affected by the judge's remarks, which confirmed their long-held belief that Wynter's death was not an isolated incident. They expressed their anger that the trust had failed to listen to whistleblowers who had previously warned of a 'potential disaster' due to staffing issues. Mr. Andrews stated that they had been promised the trust would do 'everything in its power' to prevent such tragedies from happening again, but those promises remained empty. The Andrews, along with lawyers representing the families of Adele, Kahlani, and Quinn, called for greater accountability and action from NUH and the Department of Health and Social Care. They urged for a comprehensive, independent investigation involving healthcare regulators to ensure that meaningful and lasting changes are implemented to prevent further tragedies. NUH's chief executive, Anthony May, acknowledged the pain and suffering endured by the families and expressed sincere apologies. He stated that the trust had made significant changes through its Maternity Improvement Programme, including increasing staff numbers and establishing new units for foetal medicine and neonatal care.
Maternity Failings NHS Trust Prosecution Nottingham University Hospitals Baby Deaths Care Quality Commission
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