Chichester's Donna Ockenden to chair independent review into Sussex maternity and neonatal services
Families who have raised concerns about maternity care at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust are set to receive answers.
The government confirmed that senior maternity safety expert Donna Ockenden, from Chichester, will lead an independent review.
The announcement follows months of engagement between Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting and campaigning families who have called for an investigation into care at the trust. The review is part of a wider government effort to improve maternity and neonatal safety across England.
Ms Ockenden, who previously led the Shrewsbury and Telford maternity review and is currently chairing reviews in Nottingham and Leeds, has been appointed following discussions with bereaved families in Sussex.
Mr Streeting said: "Donna Ockenden has earned the trust of families across the country through her tireless work to uncover the truth and drive lasting change in maternity care. I know she will bring that same dedication to Sussex.
"To the families in Sussex, your determination to seek answers not just for yourselves but for every family who comes after you, is so important. This review has my full personal commitment, and I will ensure we get the answers and deliver the change you deserve."
The news will please bereaved families in Sussex, who had recently renewed calls for an independent maternity review.
Ms Ockenden – described by the government as ‘one of the country’s foremost experts on maternity safety’ – said she was honoured to take on the role and emphasised the importance of listening directly to affected families and staff.
The midwife and nurse is also known for founding the Four Streets Project with her daughters, in 2016, to help homeless people in Chichester by providing them with food, bedding, and warm clothing.
"It is an honour to have been asked to chair this review and I am absolutely aware of the responsibility I have to the families and babies across Sussex,” she said.
"My priority will be to listen carefully to harmed and bereaved families and to engage comprehensively across communities and with staff ‘on the ground’ here in Sussex."
She also highlighted the need to include a wide range of experiences, adding: "We will proactively reach out to ensure that the voices of seldom-heard families are heard through this review.
"It is vital that the scope of the review now reflects the experiences of families and enables a thorough and meaningful examination of care, so that improvements can be made as the review progresses."
Campaign group The Truth for Our Babies welcomed the announcement, saying it followed a long campaign for an independent review.
A spokesperson for the group said: "This has been a long, exhausting and deeply emotional fight for all of us. As a group, we have been calling for this review for two years, all while living with devastating loss and harm caused to us and our babies.
"Today’s announcement represents a significant and welcome step forward. We are grateful that Wes Streeting has listened to campaigning families and recognised the need to appoint Donna Ockenden to lead the review.
"While the full scope of the review is yet to be agreed, Mr Streeting was receptive to the arguments we made as to why a full, inclusive review is needed to ensure that no family is left behind.
"A review that does not include all harmed and bereaved families cannot deliver the truth or accountability that is so desperately needed. Lessons will be missed, and opportunities to prevent future harm could be lost.
"This review gives us hope that we will finally get the answers we have been seeking, not just for our own families, but for every family that has been affected. It is about accountability, but it’s also about working to ensure that no other family has to endure what we have been through.
"We would also like to urge those who haven’t already done so, to join the Truth for Our Babies Facebook group and become a part of our supportive network. Your voice matters. Your family matters. What happened to you matters. Your experience could help build a clear and undeniable picture of the level of harm that has occurred across University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust."
The review is part of a broader set of government actions aimed at improving maternity and neonatal care, including staffing increases, investment in neonatal services, safety programmes, and national initiatives intended to reduce avoidable harm and improve outcomes for mothers and babies.
Families had previously highlighted the long-term impact on those affected.
Robyn Davis, from Steyning, described ‘appalling suffering’.
“These failings translate into appalling suffering.” she said.
"Families whose lives have been shattered, things like relationships, careers and family planning have been ruined and incomes lost.
"Families who are experiencing severe mental health difficulties. Families who are relying on investigations, inquests and legal cases to simply understand what happened, and appallingly sometimes this doesn’t result in the answers or outcomes that families deserve.”
Campaigners argue the scale of the issue warrants urgent action, following a recent joint investigation by the BBC and New Statesman.