Bereaved parents to testify in independent review of Sussex maternity care
An independent inquiry led by midwife Donna Ockenden has launched in Sussex to examine maternity and neonatal care failures, following reports that at least 55 baby deaths may have been avoidable. Bereaved families, including one whose daughter was stillborn, will give evidence.
A major independent review into maternity and neonatal services provided by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust launched on Saturday with a public meeting in Brighton. The review is led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, who previously chaired landmark inquiries into maternity failings at Shrewsbury and Telford, and at Nottingham University Hospitals, and currently chairs a similar review in Leeds.
Among those due to give evidence is Susan Cacciacarro, whose daughter Chiara was stillborn in 2021 at almost 37 weeks. Chiara had been diagnosed with a heart defect at a 20-week scan, making the pregnancy high risk. A 34-week scan showed the baby had lost weight, yet staff at Worthing hospital did not move to expedite delivery, which remained scheduled for 39 weeks. When Cacciacarro woke one morning unable to feel movement, she rushed to hospital, but no heartbeat could be found.
The review follows months of campaigning by bereaved Sussex families and a joint investigation by the New Statesman and BBC published in February, which found at least 55 baby deaths might have been prevented with better care. The inquiry is expected to examine more than 1,000 maternity and neonatal cases dating back to 2018.
At Saturday's meeting, Ockenden discussed the review's terms of reference with affected families, stressing the need to ensure no family is overlooked. Cacciacarro, now a mother of two, said she hoped the review would provide answers for all harmed and bereaved families and lead to genuine safety improvements so others do not suffer similarly.
Dr Andy Heeps, chief executive of University Hospitals Sussex, expressed sympathy for affected families and pledged full support for the review process, noting changes already made to maternity services. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the government, through a national maternity and neonatal taskforce and increased investment, is working to ensure safer, more consistent NHS care following the earlier Ockenden and Amos reviews.
