<2>Independent Review into Leeds Maternity Services to be Led by Donna Ockenden
<3>Background and Investigation
The government has announced that senior midwife Donna Ockenden will lead the independent review into maternity and neonatal services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT). This move comes as part of a rapid probe into systemic failures in maternity and neonatal care, with Leeds being one of the 14 trusts under investigation.
<3>Government Investigation and BBC Findings
Last year, a BBC investigation into LTHT found that the deaths of at least 56 babies and two mothers over the past five years might have been prevented. The announcement of the government’s investigation led to the resignation of Care Quality Commission chief executive Julian Hartley, who had run the trust for a decade.
<3>Appointment of Donna Ockenden
Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting has announced Ockenden’s appointment, stating, “Donna Ockenden is an outstanding advocate for families whose voices haven’t always been heard, and I’m delighted to appoint someone so trusted by those who have been repeatedly let down by the NHS.” He added, “This review must deliver for the sake of all… the families who have been affected by these failures, and