The Nursing and Midwifery Council has admitted that its early engagement with families affected by the Nottingham maternity scandal “fell short of the standard they deserved”, as the regulator pledged to play its part in delivering meaningful and lasting change following Donna Ockenden’s landmark review.
In a statement responding to the findings, the NMC apologised for being too remote, too slow to grasp the depth of concerns, and too difficult for families to access during the years in which more than 2,500 families experienced loss, trauma or serious harm linked to repeated failures in maternity care at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The regulator said the experiences shared by families had been “deeply shocking” and acknowledged that its past approach had contributed to delays in recognising the scale of the crisis. Under new leadership, the NMC said it had overhauled how it listens and responds, with families’ feedback driving changes to its processes and casework.
As part of its revised approach, the NMC has held six face‑to‑face case surgeries and a series of virtual sessions attended by 70 families, leading to 57 new Fitness to Practise cases being opened. Ninety‑six cases in total are now linked to Nottingham, with one midwife currently subject to an interim suspension order.
The regulator also confirmed it is improving public information for women and families, with support from Donna Ockenden, to ensure people know how to raise concerns when maternity care goes wrong.
The Ockenden review highlighted longstanding issues including poor communication, failures to recognise deterioration, ineffective escalation, and the impact of workforce pressures and poor culture. It also underscored stark inequalities, with Black, Asian and minority ethnic women and women from deprived backgrounds disproportionately affected.
The NMC said it welcomed the report’s recommendations and would work with partners to deliver actions such as supporting a national perinatal education standard and ensuring midwives are equipped to recognise and escalate concerns in labour.
Chief executive Paul Rees said the regulator had “listened and changed”, but accepted there was more to do to rebuild trust. He added that the NMC is committed to ensuring the review continues to shape its work and to contributing to safer maternity care across the UK.
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