Streeting Demands NHS Bosses Face Parliament Over Nottingham Maternity Scandal
Streeting Demands NHS Bosses Face Parliament Over Nottingham Maternity Scandal
Ex-Health Sec Wes Streeting pushes for NHS leaders to be summoned by Parliament after refusing to cooperate with the shocking Nottingham maternity scandal review. Calls for accountability!
Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting has issued a strong demand for Parliament to summon senior NHS bosses who refused to cooperate with the damning Donna Ockenden review into the Nottingham maternity scandal. Streeting expressed his outrage, stating he was "appalled" by the "refusal of senior NHS leaders to cooperate" with the critical investigation.
The Donna Ockenden report, which delved into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust, uncovered a shocking scale of "deeply embedded systemic failures." The review concluded that more than 500 mothers and babies suffered potentially avoidable harm or tragically died due to a "toxic" culture within the trust. Crucially, the report highlighted that NUH had been aware of serious issues in its maternity department for years but had failed to take decisive action.
What has intensified the outcry is the startling lack of cooperation from those in leadership positions. Streeting revealed that a significant number—31 out of 66 local executives and directors—approached about their roles in the scandal flatly refused to be interviewed. Furthermore, only a paltry four out of 14 senior regional NHS leaders agreed to participate in the review.
In a scathing letter addressed to Health and Social Care Select Committee chair Layla Moran, Mr. Streeting didn't mince words, declaring their actions as "cowardice" and "an insult to the Nottingham families." He urged Ms. Moran to "summon those who refused to give evidence to Donna Ockenden to explain their actions before Parliament." The former health secretary emphasized that "if the threat of being held in contempt of Parliament is necessary to force those in positions of power to be held accountable, then so be it."
Streeting articulated the profound disrespect shown to the affected families. "Having sat and listened to those parents recount their harrowing experiences, of harm and bereavement, I find it simply unconscionable that people who have worked for the NHS would deny them an honest account of what went wrong and why," he wrote. He stressed the broader implications, stating that such refusals demonstrate "a complete disregard for the safety of patients in general," and hinder the vital process of learning from past mistakes to prevent future harm. He condemned this as "indicative of the cover-up culture in the NHS that must be brought to an end," reinforcing the urgent call for transparency and accountability for the sake of the Nottingham families and future patients.
