Nottingham maternity scandal: New exam chair resigns after mounting pressure from families

The newly appointed chairman of a large review in arms maternity care in nottingham has resigned due to increasing pressure from families.

Julie Dent was appointed by the NHS just two weeks ago to lead a review of hundreds of cases of alleged poor care at the Nottingham University Hospitals Foundation Trust.

On April 7, more than 100 families urged Ms Dent to turn down the offer after previously urging NHS England to appoint Donna Ockenden as chairperson Shrewsbury and Telford Maternity Inquiry.

In a letter to families on Wednesday, Chief Operating Officer David Sloman said: “After careful consideration and further discussions with her family, Julie Dent has decided, for personal reasons, not to continue as chair of the independent review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. “

The letter said NHS England and Improvement would continue to have “oversight” over the independent review and that it was establishing a “new review process”.

Mr Sloman said he would be writing to families to update them “soon” about the new stages of the review.

Nottingham’s Independent Maternity Review launched in July last year and has reported more than 500 families, most of them in the last two months.

On April 7, families wrote to Health Secretary Sajid Javid asking Donna Ockenden to chair a new review, saying they had no confidence in the way the review was being conducted.

Ms Ockenden responded to the families’ first letter that she would be happy to lead the review if asked.

NHS England has since faced criticism after it informed families of Ms Dent’s appointment late on Friday, April 22. Families said they were “traumatized” by the way the news broke.

In their response to Ms Dent’s appointment, the families urged her to turn down the role.

Last week, former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt questioned why NHS England had not appointed Ms Ockenden and said he would raise the issue with Mr Javid.

The Nottingham review, dubbed the ‘independent thematic review’, is led by local NHS commissioners and NHS England.

It was announced afterwards The Independent and Channel 4 revealed millions have been paid out by the Trust over 30 baby deaths and 46 incidents of babies being permanently brain damaged by the Nottingham University Hospitals Foundation Trust.