A Nottingham NHS trust has come under fire for the second time due to maternity failings, leading to the largest ever fine for an NHS trust for maternity care. The parents of Wynter Andrews, who died in September 2019 under the care of Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust, expressed their disappointment in the organisation’s actions. They watched as the trust was fined £1.6m following another prosecution by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) over the deaths of babies Adele O’Sullivan, Kahlani Rawson, and Quinn Parker in 2021.
Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust is currently involved in the largest maternity inquiry in the history of the NHS, looking into over 2,000 cases dating back to 2012. The families of the deceased babies attended the sentencing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court, where the judge highlighted the failures in care that led to the tragic deaths. The judge emphasized a lack of escalation of care, inadequate communication systems, and failure to provide clear and complete information sharing as significant issues in the cases.
The recurring grave mistakes in the care and treatment of mothers and babies at NUH have raised concerns about the trust’s ability to provide safe and effective care. The organization was previously placed in “special measures” following a CQC inspection in October 2020, but further deaths occurred despite identified improvements in subsequent inspections. The failure to address the ongoing issues prompted calls for immediate action and greater accountability from the Department of Health and Social Care.
NUH chief executive Anthony May issued an apology to the families of the deceased babies and acknowledged the trust’s shortcomings in providing a safe environment for staff and patients. He highlighted the changes implemented through the Maternity Improvement Programme, including increased staff numbers and the establishment of new units. While progress has been made, the call for meaningful and lasting improvements in care remains urgent, as emphasized by the families and legal representatives of the deceased infants
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