Overview
- The independent Ockenden report, published Wednesday June 24, 2026, concluded that more than 500 mothers and babies suffered potentially avoidable harm at Nottingham University Hospitals, including about 94 stillbirths, 62 neonatal deaths and scores of brain injuries.
- The review examined roughly 2,505 cases from 2012 to 2025 and found repeated clinical failures such as poor fetal monitoring, delayed escalation of care and missed recognition of babies in distress that caused or likely worsened outcomes.
- Ockenden documented a toxic leadership culture that downgraded harm, silenced staff and dismissed families, and it detailed mortuary dignity breaches including a baby disposed as clinical waste and bodies left unaccounted for.
- Nottinghamshire Police’s Operation Perth and professional regulators (the NMC and GMC) are actively investigating dozens of staff and have made two arrests linked to mortuary practices, while NUH leaders have apologised and set up family feedback and an improvement board.
- The Department for Health has ordered immediate national changes including rolling out Martha’s Rule to maternity and neonatal services, and families continue to demand a statutory public inquiry to compel fuller evidence and wider reform of maternity oversight.