Manslaughter case launched into Nottingham baby deaths

A corporate manslaughter investigation has been opened into failings that led to hundreds of babies dying or being injured at maternity units in Nottingham.

Nottinghamshire Police said it was examining whether maternity care provided by the Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS trust had been grossly negligent.

The trust is at the centre of the largest maternity inquiry in the history of the NHS, with about 2,500 cases of neonatal deaths, stillbirths and harm to mothers and babies being examined by independent midwife Donna Ockenden.

The police investigation will centre on two maternity units overseen by the trust, which runs the Queen's Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital.

NUH said it was "deeply sorry for the pain and suffering caused", and it was "absolutely right" that accountability was taken.

In a statement on the force's website, Det Supt Matthew Croome, from the investigation team, said corporate manslaughter was a "serious criminal offence".

He said: "The offence relates to circumstances where an organisation has been grossly negligent in the management of its activities, which has then led to a person's death.

"In such an investigation we are looking to see if the overall responsibility lies with the organisation rather than specific individuals and my investigation will look to ascertain if there is evidence that the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has committed this offence."

The force said its investigation into deaths and serious injuries related to NUH's maternity care - called Operation Perth - had seen more than 200 family cases referred to it so far.

The announcement comes four months after the trust was fined £1.6m for "avoidable failings" connected to the deaths of three babies in 2021.

Campaigners Dr Jack and Sarah Hawkins, parents of Harriet who was stillborn in 2016, said the development was "one piece of the jigsaw towards accountability".

They added: "Harriet should be nine years old. Our lives were completely destroyed by the unimaginable and repeated trauma at the hands of NUH.

"A prosecution for corporate manslaughter will only penalise the trust, not the individuals responsible, many of whom are still working today.

"We must never lose sight of individual accountability for those who so cruelly stole not just our daughter's life and voice, but many others."

A joint statement from the hospital trust's chair Nick Carver and its chief executive Anthony May said: "Since joining the board, we have emphasised the importance of openness, transparency and accountability in our leadership and decision-making. We recognise that there is more to do.

"We are fully committed to the ongoing police investigation and the Independent Review of Maternity Services, led by Donna Ockenden.

"We would like to reassure the public that we are determined to improve our maternity services.

"We know how important the police investigation and independent review are for the affected families, the trust and our local communities. We hope that affected families receive the answers that they deserve."