NHS trust response to the Nottingham maternity report – in fullpublished at 12:30 BST
12:30 BST
Following publication of Donna Ockenden’s report, Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust chairman Nick Carver and chief executive Anthony May have issued an open letter, addressed to “the people and communities of Nottinghamshire”.
Here it is, in full:
“The publication of the independent review into maternity services in Nottingham is a watershed moment for affected families, our staff and for the communities we serve. We apologise unreservedly to the women and families who have suffered harm, loss, trauma or distress while receiving care in our services.
“We failed you, and on behalf of Nottingham University Hospitals Trust, we
accept responsibility for our failings.
“Many families have been generous enough to meet with us, showing
extraordinary courage and determination. We are grateful for that, and we
want you to know that the publication of this report is not the end of a
process. It is another important milestone in a journey that must continue. Your
bravery and commitment to speaking up is helping improve maternity care.
“We want to thank Donna Ockenden for her work and for engaging with us
throughout this process. Donna’s review has provided an opportunity to hear
directly from thousands of families and staff. The direct feedback we have had
throughout has helped us with our improvement efforts. As a result, whilst
there is more to do, important changes have been made and we believe our
services are now safer, kinder and better led.
“We recognise that trust is earned through actions, not words. We know, also,
that families and the wider public will judge us not by what we say today, but
by what we do next.
“The review makes clear that while improvements have been made, there is
still more to do. We will take time to reflect on the report with humility,
honesty and determination. At the same time, we will work with families on
a meaningful apology because we know it is important to them that this is
reflective of the findings of the review, and our commitment to lasting
improvement. We can say with certainty that families will continue to be
involved in our improvement plans because this review has proved that we
can learn from them.
“We must also acknowledge our staff. Every day we see dedicated,
compassionate professionals working tirelessly to provide the best possible
care for women and families, often under extreme pressure and scrutiny.
Whilst the publication of the report will be difficult for them too, we know
they will reflect on the findings of the review and see this as an opportunity
to continue our improvement journey. To these colleagues, we want to say
that we know that we did not always provide you with the right conditions to
do your jobs as you would wish and we take responsibility for that.
“At Nottingham University Hospitals, we are determined to provide maternity
services that are consistently safe, compassionate, equitable and responsive.
We want every family to have confidence in the care they receive. We want
to reassure anyone using our services today that you will be safe in our care.
“On behalf of the trust, we renew the commitments to transparency,
openness and accountability. Most importantly, we renew our commitment
to providing safe, high-quality maternity care at your hospitals.”