Their comments followed the release of more details into the review into maternity and neonatal services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust , which will be chaired by Donna Ockenden.

Families, including those being supported by Switalskis’ maternity and clinical negligence experts, have also met with Health Secretary Yvette Cooper to share their experiences and concerns over the care they received at the Trust’s two maternity units in the West Yorkshire city.

The independent review was announced in October 2025 by the then Health Secretary Wes Streeting, with Ms Ockenden subsequently appointed as its Chair following pressure from families affected.

Ms Ockenden also chaired the independent reviews into Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, which reported in June 2026, as well as the review into maternity and neonatal care at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which published its conclusions in March 2022. She will also chair a review into services at the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

What will the review consider?

Mr Streeting announced the review into care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s (‘LTHT’) two hospitals in the West Yorkshire city – Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital – after it emerged that the two sites had one of the highest extended perinatal mortality rates in the country.

His decision also came after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated maternity services in Leeds as ‘inadequate’ and followed meetings with families of mothers and babies who had suffered harm or bereavement while under the care of the Trust.

According to the Ockenden Maternity Review website, the senior midwife and her team will ‘review the care women, babies and families received in a maternity and neonatal context, identify any failings and recommend actions for improvement.’

It then outlines the objectives of the review at Leeds as being to:

• identify areas of concern within maternity and neonatal care, including clarity on lines of accountability and responsible individuals within decision making and associated regulatory oversight
• provide timely learning and communicate recommended actions to help improve the safety, quality and equity of maternity and neonatal care
• enable accountability and provide clear answers to families. This will be achieved by reviewing individual cases through a team of multidisciplinary clinicians and providing personalised feedback following publication of the report
• assess the effectiveness of governance and leadership, establish the extent of regulatory knowledge of the issues, and evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of the regulatory response during the review period
• assess the handling of concerns at when they are raised by women and/or their families and staff members.

‘Our babies and the mothers harmed deserve to be remembered’

Following the meeting with the Health Secretary in Leeds, one mother who tragically lost her baby after childbirth at St James’s Hospital said she hoped that the review and the experiences she and other families had shared with Ms Cooper would drive immediate and significant improvements at both the Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital.

The mother, who cannot be named, said: “Nothing prepares you for the loss of your baby. The pain is unimaginable, and it cuts even deeper when you’re left believing that failings may have contributed to your baby’s death and that things could have been done differently.

“This review is so welcomed by myself and many other bereaved parents who are desperately seeking answers, transparency and accountability.

“I have met Donna Ockenden several times and I genuinely believe she is an incredible person to lead this review. For the first time in a long time, it feels as though someone is truly listening to bereaved families and taking our concerns seriously.

“No parent should ever have to endure this pain. No family should be left fighting for answers after losing their baby.

“Our babies deserve to be remembered. The mothers harmed deserve to be remembered. Their lives matter. Their stories matter. And the voices of their families deserve to be heard.

“It’s time for answers. It’s time for accountability. It’s time for change.”

‘Families must be listened to and urgent improvements made’: our expert’s view

Helen Cornforth , specialist clinical negligence solicitor for Switalskis in Leeds, said: “The publication of terms of reference are an important step for families in finding out what went wrong while they were under the care of the maternity teams at Leeds General Infirmary or St James’s Hospital.

“We’re supporting a number of families who have experienced avoidable harm or the loss of a baby at Leeds and their experiences are heart-breaking. All of them deserve answers, the right to have their voice heard and for the right to ask the questions they wish to ask. It is the least they have the right to expect.

“It’s encouraging that the new Health Secretary has met with Leeds families and heard what they have to say. They must be listened to and the experiences they have shared used to ensure urgent improvements are made to prevent other patients and their families suffering in the future.

“We know from the CQC report and the Government’s announcements that there have been serious failings in care. The sooner the Ockenden Review can get underway, the better for everyone. Services must improve in Leeds and it’s vital that we find out where the problems have been and put in place the solutions to improve care for all.”

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.

If you believe that you or a loved one have been a victim of medical negligence , it's crucial to take that first step towards justice. Switalskis is here to guide you through the process, providing expert advice, emotional support and strong representation.

Call Switalskis today on 0808 231 5087 . Alternatively, contact us through the website to learn more.