Hunt ‘shocked’ by maternity care failings
Jeremy Hunt has said he was “shocked and alarmed” by dangers currently posed to women and babies in childbirth as a result of NHS failings revealed in a leaked report. The former health secretary said he feared women were being put in danger by “an insidious blame culture” in the health service, and the failure of the authorities to act on immediate risks. Mr Hunt, now chairman of the health select committee, is calling for action to protect patients.
JEREMY HUNT has said he is “shocked and alarmed” by dangers currently posed to women and babies in childbirth as a result of NHS failings revealed in a leaked report.
The former health secretary says he fears women are being put in danger by “an insidious blame culture” in the health service, and the failure of the authorities to act on immediate risks.
Mr Hunt, now chairman of the health select committee, is calling for action to protect patients, before an investigation into more than 1,000 cases of baby deaths, brain damage and harm reports. He has written to Matt Hancock, his successor, such is his concern, after being sent a leaked copy of an interim report on the scandal at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust.
In an article for The Daily Telegraph, he expresses concern that women are still being put at risk, with the investigation revealing poor care “right up to the present day”.
He accuses the trust of a failure to listen to bereaved parents or produce key documents for the investigation, which is not likely to report for some months, as it considers more and more cases.
The investigation was ordered by Mr Hunt as health secretary to examine 23 cases where babies or mothers died or potentially suffered harm at Shrewsbury. More than 1,000 families have now come forward, in the largest maternity scandal in the history of the NHS. Mr Hunt also says it is of still more concern to see reports of similar problems at East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust, where 25 cases are under investigation, including seven preventable deaths.
Mr Hunt raised concerns that despite repeated pledges to bring down Britain’s high rates of baby deaths, they have barely changed, with the culture of the NHS meaning tragic mistakes were repeated again and again.
The leaked draft report into Shrewsbury, by Donna Ockenden, a senior midwife, warns that the trust describes cases of poor care as “legacy” cases despite the fact some were just three years ago. The report, which dates from December, suggests the trust has failed to co-operate with the inquiry, failing to provide documentation so cases can be properly examined.
Mr Hunt said he had been leaked a copy of the interim report last weekend, and said it showed the need for urgent action.
In December, Ms Ockenden said that her final report may take at least another year to be published, as more than 600 cases were being examined.
In seven years, the bill for maternity negligence claimed has more than doubled, rising from £482million in 2012 to £1.2billion in 2019. Today, ministers are expected to discuss the investigation into maternity services in East Kent.
Yesterday, Susan Acott, chief executive of East Kent Hospitals Trust, said: “It’s important that staff, me included, listen to families. We do do that. My concern and focus is going forward, we are doing all the right things.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “The independent Ockenden review at Shrewsbury and Telford is analysing all available information. The recent concerns regarding maternity services at East Kent show they must do more to provide the quality maternity services people deserve.”