Police investigating criminal failings in county's maternity scandal request Home Office funding

West Mercia Police has confirmed the application was made to the Home Office, with Wrekin Conservative MP, Mark Pritchard urging the government to agree to the request.

The investigation – Operation Lincoln – is looking at potential criminal prosecutions arising from maternity care at Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

The trust was the focus of a lengthy independent inquiry, ordered by then Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt in 2017, and led by maternity expert Donna Ockenden.

The report, published in March this year, detailed shocking failures in care at the trust, and concluded that more than 200 cases where mothers and babies died, had significant or major concerns.

Mrs Ockenden said that better care would have resulted in a different outcome.

West Mercia Police's Detective Chief Superintendent, Damian Barratt, said the latest request had been made to the Home Office to ensure it has enough resources, both for the investigation and to support families involved.

He said: “An application was made to the Home Office for additional funding to support the investigation as part of Operation Lincoln.

“This is a complex and extensive investigation and this funding, if granted, will help us in ensuring that the right resources are in place for the investigation and to support the families involved.

"We have been, and remain, committed to ensuring that every possible potential case is fully reviewed, and the families involved are informed as our investigation progresses.

“Our investigation remains active with a focused and dedicated team and we make a promise to the families, to the Telford and Shrewsbury communities, and to the wider public that we will keep you informed as the investigation progresses.”

Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard, has written to Home Office Minister Tom Pursglove to urge the Government to approve the latest request,

He said: “I have asked the Home Office to extend the grant funding support for West Mercia Police so outstanding and existing investigations can continue into the tragic baby deaths so tragically identified by the Ockenden Review”.

Responding Mr Pursglove said: "The Home Office provided West Mercia Police £2.7 million in Special Grant funding in 2021-22 for Operation Lincoln.

"The department has received and is considering a request from West Mercia Police for the additional policing costs of Operation Lincoln in 2022-23."

In the most recent update on the investigation – delivered in April, Det Ch Supt Barratt said that officers had looked at 823 cases – with 122 reviewed and a decision made that there was insufficient evidence to take them further.

He said that 701 cases were continuing to be reviewed, with an expectation that the final number included in the investigation will be "significantly less" than 701.

West Mercia Police have said that any families with concerns around their specific involvement in the inquiry can contact Operation Lincoln through the major incident public portal at https://mipp.police.uk/operation/22HQ19D84-PO1