Medical Negligence Experts Representing Families Affected By Care Issues At Queen’s Medical Centre And City Hospital

Lawyers representing families affected by maternity care issues in Nottingham say more work is need to improve patient safety, despite services in the city no longer being rated inadequate.

The Care Quality Commission has today published its findings of its latest review into units run by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH). Following its latest inspection, the care watchdog said services now “required improvement”.

The announcement comes a week after police announced its intention to launch a criminal investigation into maternity failings at the Trust which runs Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital. 

Medical negligence lawyers supporting families affected by maternity failings

Specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell are acting for families concerned about the care mums and babies received under NUH. 

The law firm also represents hundreds of families throughout the country who have been impacted by maternity care issues. This includes Nottingham, and Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals - where a separate Ockenden review found catastrophic failings over a 20-year period – as well as other hospitals including in Sheffield and East Kent.

Law firm campaigns to improve maternity safety

The firm is campaigning for improvements in maternity safety nationally.

Expert Opinion

“The care issues highlighted in Nottingham are well documented. The first-hand accounts of our clients and how they’ve either suffered the devastation of either losing a baby, their child being left with life-long disabilities or mums left seriously injured all vividly highlight the consequences of maternity failings.

“All of the families we represent not only want answers regarding what happened in their care but improvements to be made. While it’s encouraging that the CQC says maternity services are appearing to improve, there’s still a long way to go.

“The requires improvement rating still means families are potentially at risk of care failings. Our clients are still concerned about services, therefore, it’s vital that improvements continue to be made to increase public confidence in maternity services in Nottingham and elsewhere nationally.

“In the meantime we continue to support families to provide them with the answers and support they require as we campaign to improve maternity safety.” Julianne Moore

Nottingham maternity services: What the CQC found

The CQC carried out an unaccounted two-day inspection of the maternity units at Queen’s and City Hospital as well as the Trust’s wider maternity services in April. 

Inspectors said it had found sufficient improvements had been made to upgrade NUH’s rating.

However, the CQC said the Trust's maternity service "did not have enough substantive staff to care for women and keep them safe" and not all staff had training in key skills or assessed risks to women in a timely way.

Safety concerns about how medicines were managed how not all equipment was cleaned between uses, were also raised by the CQC.

NUH was "not always complying with its statutory responsibilities for duty of candour" - a professional responsibility to be honest with patients when things go wrong.

Ockenden review into maternity care

Senior midwife Donna Ockenden is leading a review into Nottingham’s maternity care over a number of years. Earlier this year the review was expanded to cover 1,700 cases – the UK’s largest inquiry yet.

It came after approaching 50 babies suffered brain damage and 19 were injured in the city.

The Nottingham review followed a similar inquiry at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust which found more than 200 mothers and babies might have survived, had they received better maternity care.

Find out more about our expertise in supporting families affected by maternity care issues at our dedicated birth injuries section. Alternatively, to speak to an expert contact us or call 0370 1500 100.