Trust apology after BBC documentary tells of Shropshire maternity heartbreak

The Panorama documentary, focussing on maternity services at Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), also included the concerns of county consultant Bernie Bentick.

Mr Bentick, who previously worked at SaTH as a gynaecology consultant, said: “I was increasingly concerned about the level of bullying, of dysfunctional culture, of the imposition of changes in clinical practice that many clinicians felt was unsafe."

The latest programme came ahead of a second inquiry report from Donna Ockenden, set to be published next month, looking into the standard of maternity care at the trust.

The first report detailed harrowing experiences of parents and children in the trust's care, looking at 250 cases.

It also included a number of measures the trust has been required to implement to address failings identified by the review.

The second report is examining nearly 2,000 cases at the trust.

West Mercia Police has also opened a criminal investigation into maternity care at SaTH, called Operation Lincoln.

In a statement after the release of the documentary, SaTH said it apologised to the families affected and added that it is working to ensure its services are "safe, effective, reliable and high-quality".

A spokesman said: "As a trust we take full responsibility for the failings in the standards of care within our maternity services. These occurred in the care we provided for women and families, the way in which we dealt with the incidents subsequently, and in the manner in which we communicated and engaged with those involved. We offer our sincere apologies for all the distress and hurt we know this caused.

“Apologies alone are not enough and must be backed up with clear and meaningful action. Under the new executive leadership at the trust and within our women & children’s division, our work is driven by a determination to ensure that we deliver safe, effective, reliable and high-quality services to the women and families we are caring for today and in the future.

“We have made strong progress, including significant investment in additional staff and staff training, and the Care Quality Commission highlighted the “outstanding practice” it saw in Maternity during its 2021 inspection. We have also completed over 80 per cent of the actions set out in the first Ockenden report but know we have more to do. This includes continuing to ensure that women and the choices they make are placed at the heart of everything we do, and we remain determined to keep improving.

“We owe it to those we failed previously, those we care for today, and our dedicated, compassionate colleagues providing that care, to ensure that we build on the progress made so far and provide excellent care for the communities we serve.”

Meanwhile Telford MP Lucy Allan said she had asked for the Secretary of state for Health, Sajid Javid to make a parliamentary statement on the publication of the next stage of the Ockenden Review.

She also saluted the courage of those who have come forward to tell of their experiences.

She said: "Last night’s BBC Panorama programme was a difficult watch but has shined a much-needed light on the extent of the maternity care scandal at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust.

She added: "I am in awe of those women who have contributed to Donna Ockenden’s review. It is my understanding that a ministerial statement is intended on its publication. In my opinion this statement must be made by the Secretary of State for Health out of respect for those who suffered so much and still do.”