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Families feel heard by Health Secretary over Leeds maternity failings
Overview
Families affected by maternity and neonatal failings at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust met with Health Secretary Yvette Cooper ahead of an independent review. The review, chaired by senior midwife Deborah Ockenden, is set to begin in November and examine cases of severe harm or death between 2011 and 2028. Attendees described the meeting as constructive, stating that the minister listened to their experiences and understood the need for accountability.
Key points
- Families impacted by Leeds maternity failures met with Health Secretary Yvette Cooper to share their personal experiences.
- An independent review into maternity and neonatal services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, chaired by Deborah Ockenden, is scheduled to begin in November.
- The review will examine care delivered between January 2011 and March 2028 where mothers and babies suffered severe harm or death.
- Parents praised the Health Secretary for being receptive and acknowledging that the NHS needs to improve care for babies and mothers.
- The trust's chief executive expressed a commitment to supporting the review and offered an apology for the pain experienced by families.