An independent review into maternity and neonatal services at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust has begun, helmed by senior midwife Donna Ockenden. The review was initiated following sustained advocacy by bereaved families and a joint investigation earlier this year by the New Statesman and the BBC that identified at least 55 infant deaths that potentially could have been prevented with improved maternal care.
Susan Cacciacarro, whose daughter Chiara was stillborn in 2021, is among the bereaved parents who will testify during the inquiry. Cacciacarro’s pregnancy had been classified as high-risk after Chiara was diagnosed with a cardiac abnormality during a prenatal scan at 20 weeks. When a subsequent scan at 34 weeks showed the fetus had lost weight, hospital staff did not accelerate the planned delivery schedule. Cacciacarro later went to the hospital after noticing absent fetal movement and was informed her baby no longer had a detectable heartbeat.
Ockenden, who previously led reviews into maternity services at facilities in Shrewsbury, Telford, and Nottingham, and who is currently chairing an examination of maternity care at two Leeds hospitals, stated that the investigation will examine over 1,000 maternity and neonatal cases spanning back to 2018. She emphasized her commitment to engaging with families directly and ensuring the experiences of underrepresented communities are incorporated into the review’s scope.
Bereavement campaigners organized under the Truth for Our Babies group are calling on additional affected families to participate in the process. Cacciacarro indicated that bereaved families seek accountability, transparency, and systemic improvements to prevent future tragedies. University Hospitals Sussex leadership said the organization supports the review and has implemented various safety enhancements in recent years, while committing to further collaboration with the investigation team.
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