Shropshire baby deaths: Report to be 'a blueprint for care'

The midwife leading a review into maternity failings at Shropshire hospitals says it will set out a blueprint for safe care.

The inquiry, led by Donna Ockenden, the largest of its kind in the NHS's history is due to publish its findings on Wednesday.

The interim report published in December 2020 found some mothers were blamed for their babies' deaths.

Ms Ockenden said leading the review had been the "greatest honour" of her life.

In a series of tweets to families, Ms Ockenden thanked them for "putting such trust" in her and her team.

Ms Ockenden was asked to review maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust in 2018 following a campaign by two families who lost their baby daughters.

Richard Stanton and Rhiannon Davies's daughter Kate died hours after her birth in March 2009, while Kayleigh and Colin Griffiths' daughter Pippa died in 2016 from a Group B Streptococcus infection.

Initially launched to look at 23 cases, the inquiry was expanded to investigate 1,862.

"Our families have consistently said they want [two] things - to understand what happened to them [and] why - then to ensure what happened to them makes a difference to the safety of maternity services - locally [and] across England," she said.

"We promised we would help in that change."

She said "huge strides" had been made in maternity care, with increased funding, but "more needs to be done".

"On [Wednesday] we will set out a 'blueprint' for safe maternity care, locally [and] across England," Ms Ockenden added.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust previously said it was co-operating fully with the review team and added most of the actions raised in an interim report had already been completed.

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