Families Criticise Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital Trust For Failing To Engage With Them After Donna Ockenden Review

The BBC has reported that families at the centre of the Donna Ockenden enquiry into maternity care failings at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust have not been contacted since the inquiry was concluded some two years ago. They are frustrated at the lack of engagement, which is damaging their confidence that lessons will be learnt from the failures identified.

Donna Ockenden, Chair of the Independent Review into Maternity Services, led the enquiry into the failings at the Trust more than two years ago and found multiple catastrophic failures at the Trust that may have led to the deaths of more than 200 babies. Following a recent meeting with 20 of the families involved, Ms Ockenden said she was disturbed by the lack of contact with these families since the inquiry. The Trust has since met with her to discuss these concerns and has promised to respond.

Our experience as specialist clinical negligence lawyers, tells us that what is most important to families who have experienced an adverse event, is to receive information, explanations and an apology and this comes above receiving compensation. Rev Charlotte Cheshire, whose son suffered brain damage due to poor care given by the Trust said that, whilst her son has received compensation, she has not had an apology or any contact from the Trust. She said that:

Two other affected families said they were “disappointed and angry” and wanted feedback. Roger Evlyn-Bufton none of the families “has had any contact at all from the trust”.

Ms Ockenden said her understanding is that families have not been contacted since her findings and these families were disappointed and “feel let down”. She expressed frustration at the response of the Trust saying “who better to learn from and help you focus on maternity improvement that those people who have been harmed by your maternity service?” she said.

Comment

The inquiry has at it’s heart a focus on learning to improve maternity care. The concern voiced by the families discussed here is that this is simply not happening. The same devastating things will continue to happen if lessons are not being learnt from previous mistakes.