The health secretary has reversed an earlier decision and appointed Donna Ockenden to lead an independent inquiry. This inquiry will look into "repeated maternity failures" at Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTH) NHS Trust.
This decision follows a campaign by families who have lost babies or experienced harm.
A Campaign for Change
Wes Streeting, the health secretary, first announced the inquiry in October 2025. He said it was needed to understand what went "catastrophically wrong" at the maternity units in Leeds General Infirmary and St James's University Hospital.
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Start Your News DetoxHowever, days later, Streeting stated that Ockenden would not chair the review. In February, families and MPs urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to appoint her.
Amarjit Kaur Matharoo, whose daughter Asees was stillborn in January 2024, expressed relief. She noted it had been a "really exhausting, long road" to find a chair everyone agreed was independent.
Streeting acknowledged the struggle families faced. He said he was "sorry to families in Leeds for what they've been through." He added that they often had to "fight to get to this point."
Lauren Caulfield, whose daughter was stillborn in March 2022, said they "fought" for this review. She felt the announcement, coming 10 days before her daughter Grace's fourth birthday, was "the best gift" she could give. She hopes it will ensure her daughter's life "is actually going to make a change."
The Review's Purpose
Ockenden praised the health secretary for "making the right decision from the families' perspective." She noted that families had clearly requested her to chair the review for a long time.
She said the review's main goal is to give families "trusted answers" they have waited for. Ockenden will lead a large team of doctors, nurses, and midwives. They will examine cases that come forward.
The review also aims to improve maternity services. Ockenden mentioned that in Nottingham, they held regular meetings to share learning and improvements with the trust.
The government expects the review to include cases of stillbirths, neonatal deaths, serious injuries, hypoxic injuries, and maternal deaths. These cases will span from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2025.
The review will operate on an opt-out basis. This means cases meeting the criteria will be included unless families choose not to participate. Clinical case reviews are set to begin in August.
Fiona Winser-Ramm, whose daughter Aliona Grace died in 2020, urged affected families to engage with the review. She stressed that every experience and every baby's life matters.
Addressing Past Failures
A BBC investigation previously highlighted concerns from whistleblowers. They claimed maternity units were unsafe, even though the Care Quality Commission (CQC) had rated them "good."
In June 2025, the CQC downgraded the maternity units to "inadequate." This followed unannounced inspections that found women and babies were "at risk of avoidable harm." Inspectors also noted a "blame culture" at the trust, which made staff hesitant to report issues.
Brendan Brown, Chief Executive of LTH NHS Trust, apologized to affected families. He welcomed the appointment of a chair for the inquiry.
Brown stated the trust is "committed to working openly, honestly and transparently" with Ockenden and the review team. He also reassured current patients that "significant improvements are already under way" in their maternity services.
The health secretary praised Ockenden as an "outstanding advocate for families whose voices haven't always been heard." He believes her leadership will bring "lasting change so desperately needed in Leeds."
