Key facts
- A major review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust revealed 260 babies died or were seriously injured due to systemic failings.
- The review's existence was significantly prompted by the persistent campaigning of families, including Jack and Sarah Hawkins, and Gary and Sarah Andrews.
- Jack and Sarah Hawkins's daughter Harriet was stillborn in 2016 after delayed intervention, with their campaign described as a 'watershed moment' and 'patient safety catalyst'.
- Gary and Sarah Andrews's daughter Wynter died in 2019 from oxygen loss, with an inquest finding it could have been prevented by earlier delivery.
- The two couples connected after realizing the striking similarities in their experiences, which helped build momentum and prove the issues were not isolated incidents.
- NUH has faced prosecution and fines for care failures, including a £1.6m fine in 2023 related to three other baby deaths.
A pivotal WhatsApp message between two grieving fathers, Gary Andrews and Dr. Jack Hawkins, played a crucial role in exposing what has become the largest maternity scandal in NHS history at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust. The extensive review, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, revealed 260 babies died or suffered serious harm due to "deep-rooted, systemic and sustained" failings.
Dr. Hawkins and his wife Sarah, a senior physiotherapist, had been campaigning since their daughter Harriet was stillborn in April 2016 due to repeatedly delayed intervention. Despite an initial hospital review finding no fault, the couple did not accept the findings and suspected a cover-up. Their persistent efforts were described by Ockenden as a "watershed moment" and the "patient safety catalyst" for the Nottingham maternity review.
Gary and Sarah Andrews joined the fight after their daughter Wynter died 23 minutes after birth in September 2019, having suffered oxygen loss due to missed warning signs of distress. An inquest found Wynter could have survived if staff had delivered her earlier. The inquest also highlighted a 2018 letter from midwives to NUH bosses warning that staffing levels were "the cause of a potential disaster," predictions that were later realized.
Gary Andrews reached out to Jack Hawkins after reading about Harriet's case, recognizing the profound similarities to Wynter's experience. This connection between the two couples was significant, helping to break the isolation many families felt and demonstrating that their tragedies were not isolated incidents. Sarah Hawkins stated that finding other affected families "definitely changed things" and built momentum.
While the trust pleaded guilty to care failures related to Wynter's death and was later fined £1.6 million for other avoidable failings, the families' collective efforts pushed for a more comprehensive and independent review. They successfully campaigned against an initial, narrower review, leading to the expanded investigation that ultimately uncovered the scale of the scandal. Ockenden emphasized that the voices of these families must "become the catalyst for lasting national change."