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Michael Buchanan, the Social Affairs Correspondent, reported that families in East Sussex are feeling unheard and exhausted after meeting with Baroness Amos, the chair of a national review on maternity care. The families have been pushing for an inquiry into maternity care at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, where they lost babies under the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust. The families have been campaigning for 18 months for an inquiry and are adamant that senior midwife Donna Ockenden should lead it. The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment on this matter.
In June, Health Secretary Wes Streeting initiated a rapid review into maternity services in England and appointed Baroness Amos to lead it. Nine families in Sussex, who believe medical errors resulted in their babies’ deaths, were promised a review by Streeting. However, during their meeting with Baroness Amos, the families expressed disappointment as she seemed poorly briefed and conveyed that she did not have the authority to decide who would lead the inquiry. This lack of progress has left the families frustrated and disheartened.
The families issued a statement expressing their frustration with the lack of preparation for the meeting and the continued delay in progressing their case for a review. They feel let down by the process and the lack of action despite presenting a compelling case for an inquiry. In the meantime, Donna Ockenden, who is currently leading a review of maternity care in Nottingham and previously examined services at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust, continues to garner support and advocacy from the affected families. Despite the setbacks, there are still hopes for progress through cooperation with Baroness Amos.
The appointment of Kathryn Whitehill, a former inspector with the Care Quality Commission, as an investigator on the review has sparked anger among families who have endured substandard maternity care. The families had expected to be consulted on such appointments and have consistently emphasized the need for independence in the investigation process. The concerns raised by the families echo criticisms from the Maternity Safety Alliance, which has questioned the effectiveness of Streeting’s inquiry due to the involvement of the Department of Health and NHS England. However, amidst the challenges, there are families willing to collaborate with Baroness Amos to seek resolution and improvement in maternity care services
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