A family being supported by medical negligence experts at Switalskis after their baby died shortly after birth at a Leeds hospital, which is part of a forthcoming major investigation into maternity care, have met with the Chair, senior midwife Donna Ockenden, to discuss and hear how the independent inquiry will proceed.

The family, who cannot be named for legal reasons, joined other families at the meeting with Donna Ockenden, who will chair the independent review into services and patient safety at the Trust’s two maternity units – Leeds General Infirmary and St James’ Hospital.

The senior midwife met with families as part of her preparations for the review, including the family who have asked Switalskis specialist medical negligence and maternity negligence solicitors for support over their own tragic loss in 2014.

They are one of many families who have turned to Switalskis for support and legal advice on the care and treatment received at both Leeds maternity units.  Our experts are currently supporting families who have suffered injuries with devastating results including stillbirths, hypoxic brain injury, maternal injury during birth and neonatal deaths.

Ms Ockenden, who also chaired the high-profile inquiry into failures in care and maternity negligence at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust which was published in June 2026, was also appointed in March 2026 to be the Chair for the Independent Review of maternity services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

It follows concerns over ‘repeated failures’ at the Trust, the largest teaching hospital in Europe and one of the largest acute Trusts in the country.  Announcing the inquiry last year, the then Health Secretary Wes Streeting said it was necessary to establish what had ‘gone so catastrophically wrong’ at the Trust.

What will the inquiry look at?

The terms of reference for the inquiry into Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and maternity care at both Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital have not yet been released.

Ms Ockenden’s inquiry into maternity failings and negligence at the Nottingham Hospitals University Hospitals investigated clinical incidents where mothers and/or babies suffered severe harm or death.

In detail, it considered:

• clinical care
• governance and incident reporting as well as investigation and response to families
• leadership and organisational culture, which included staff voices and staff wellbeing, responses to staff whistleblowing and consideration of local Workforce Race Equality Standards (WRES) and other workforce data
• the commissioning and oversight of maternity services and any actions taken to improve the safety of maternity services by the then-primary care trust (PCT)/clinical commissioning group (CCG) or other external bodies.

Terms of reference for the inquiry into maternity care in Leeds are expected to be released in due course by the inquiry team.

‘A chance for families’ voices to be heard and safety improved’: our expert’s view

Switalskis specialist medical negligence team based in Leeds welcomed the chance for the families to meet with Ms Ockenden and said:

“This inquiry is an important step for all of those families who have suffered the loss of a baby or who have sustained injuries, often life-changing, while under the care of Leeds’ two maternity units.

“It’s important that Donna Ockenden hears the voices of as many families as possible throughout her inquiry”

“This inquiry is now a chance for families’ voices to be heard and the Trust to be held to account for any failings in care and for patient safety to be improved which is paramount.”

“The families we represent are united in what they want from this inquiry – to find out what went wrong and why, and to ensure that it can’t happen to any other families in the future.”

How Switalskis can help you

Switalskis birth injury solicitors represent families affected by failures in maternity and neonatal care. Our specialist birth injury team supports families affected by the issues highlighted in the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation , chaired by Baroness Valerie Amos, and represents families whose experiences are being examined as part of Donna Ockenden's independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust . We help families understand what happened, access the support they need and, where appropriate, pursue compensation for avoidable harm while contributing to wider improvements in maternity safety.