Ockenden review finds toxic culture and avoidable harm at Nottingham NHS trust

Donna Ockenden’s final report into Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust found that 444 women and 76 newborn babies suffered potentially avoidable harm after substandard maternity care. Published on 24 June 2026, the review found the trust’s failings were “deep-rooted, systemic and sustained” and identified a “bullying and toxic culture” inside maternity and neonatal services.

The inquiry covered care at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust from April 2012 to May 2025. It examined about 2,500 cases, drew on evidence from more than 2,500 families and involved engagement with more than 800 staff members. The review found the failures were not isolated incidents but a pattern of missed opportunities for intervention and repeated breakdowns across maternity and neonatal care.

Commissioned after serious safety concerns were raised by families, the review is the largest maternity investigation ever undertaken in the NHS. Its publication was pushed back from a planned date in September 2025 to June 2026 after more families joined the process.

The findings come three years after Ockenden’s review into Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which was published in 2022 and led to 210 actions. After that review, NHS England asked trusts and systems to deliver the recommendations and report back to their public boards.