'Deeply sorry': Derby and Burton Hospital Trust apologies to parents in maternity review
Derby and Burton Hospital Trust say they are "deeply sorry" to the families they "let down" during an investigation into the deaths of more than 150 babies'.
The review has found numerous "care issues" may have contributed to the deaths, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The review focused on deaths between January 2020 and March 2023.
The Trust says: "We have made significant improvements to our maternity and neonatal services, and are providing safer care than we were 18 months ago, with better outcomes for mothers and babies."
This has come in the shadow of a report from the Care and Quality Commission (CQC) saying they fear poor maternity care will become "normalised" if action isn't taken.
Of the 131 units inspected between August 2022 and December 2023, almost half (48%) were rated as "requires improvement" or "inadequate".
Only 4% were classed as "outstanding" and 48% were rated as "good".
These failures of care, described as "systemic" in the report, were initially levelled at Telford and Shrewsbury Hospital Trust two years ago.
The CQC now consider them "widespread" across the country.
These failures included:
Units lacking critical equipment
Black, Asian and ethnic minorities at "additional risk"
A "lack of oversight" and "poor management"
Failure to ensure triage (assessment of patients to provide emergency care)
Failure to retain and recruit staff
These failures were highlighted in the first high-profile report into problems into the maternity care system.
Former midwife Donna Ockenden investigated Telford and Shrewsbury Trust between 2020 and 2022.
The Ockenden report found "systemic failings" that contributed to the death of 201 babies and nine mothers who could have survived if they provided better care.
Today's (19 September) CQC report has supported many of Donna Ockenden's recommendations including:
Introducing a national minimum level of staff to cover maternity units
Strengthening leadership and oversight to prevent "toxic cultures"
Creating an "open culture" where staff can "speak out" about their concerns
At the time, the Telford and Shrewsbury Hospital Trust said the report was "deeply distressing" and, as of their most recent report, have completed 178 of the 210 recommendations made in the report.
The CQC's ratings of Midlands hospitals' maternity care units are rated as:
East Midlands:
Queens Hospital - University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust - Inadequate
Royal Derby Hospital - University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust - Inadequate
Leicester General Hospital - University Hospitals Leicester - Requires Improvement
Leicester Royal Infirmary - University Hospitals Leicester - Requires Improvement
Northampton General Hospital - Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust - Requires Improvement
Northampton General Hospital - Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust - Requires Improvement
St Mary's Birth Centre - University Hospitals Leicester - Good
Chesterfield Royal Hospital - Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS FT - Good
West Midlands:
Birmingham Heartlands Hospital University Hospitals - Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust - Inadequate
Birmingham Heartlands Hospital University - Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust - Inadequate
Good Hope Hospital - University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust - Requires Improvement
Royal Stoke University Hospital University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust - Requires Improvement
Good Hope Hospital -University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust - Requires Improvement
New Cross Hospital - The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust - Good
Birmingham Women's Hospital - Birmingham Women's and Childrens NHS FT - Good
Worcestershire Royal Hospital Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust - Good
Warwick Hospital South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust - Good
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...