'Door definitely unlocked' into national maternity inquiry
A group of families harmed by poor maternity care say Health Secretary West Streeting is considering holding a national inquiry into maternity safety.The parents of babies who were injured or died due to failings at maternity units say they "pulled apart" a plan he had outlined on how to improve care.Following a meeting with Streeting on Tuesday, Dr Jack Hawkins, whose daughter Harriet died in 2016 in Nottingham, said the "door is definitely unlocked" and more discussions would take place.The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the secretary of state would continue to meet bereaved families across the country.
Talking about the meeting with Streeting, Dr Hawkins told the BBC: "He has been quite reluctant to order a national maternity safety. "We got a very clear message that he is now considering that. "The door is definitely unlocked. It's the only way we can improve what's going on."
Dr Hawkins's daughter Harriet was stillborn at Nottingham City Hospital after almost 41 weeks of pregnancy.Hospital bosses initially found "no obvious fault" and the couple were told their child had died of an infection.An external review of the case later found 13 failings and concluded the death was "almost certainly preventable."In 2021, Dr and Ms Hawkins received a £2.8m settlement, believed to be the largest payout for a stillbirth clinical negligence case.Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust is now at the centre of the largest maternity review in the history of the NHS, led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, which is looking into about 2,500 individual cases.
'Horrified' by plan
On Monday, Mr Streeting told a separate group of families that he intended to announce his maternity safety plan in a speech next Monday. The BBC understands such a plan would include an improvement taskforce led by non-NHS officials, a buddying system between poorly performing and better trusts, and a restorative justice approach where hospitals and families would meet and vow to be open and honest."We were horrified by the plan, we took it apart," said Dr Hawkins."Everything in that plan has been tried before and we have all suffered at the hands of that."The people we say have caused a lot of the harm seem to be the main authors of it."We were heard [by Mr Streeting]. He will not be going ahead with the plan as it stands."A DHSC spokesperson said: "The secretary of state continues to meet with bereaved families from across the country to listen to their shocking experiences of poor care and to best understand how we can improve maternity services as swiftly as possible."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Sun
My skin smelt like burnt bacon during £2k celeb laser treatment – I'm glowing but there was stomach-churning side effect
THANKS to the wonders of Instagram, 'The Cloud' and Facebook, I am constantly reminded how wonderful life was back when I had collagen. And how (relatively) wonderful I looked when I had collagen: banks and banks of the stuff giving my young, happy little face that unmistakable glow of youth. 8 8 Thanks to two decades of sunbathing (and a few sunbeds), that collagen has depleted quicker than you can say 'pigmentation' – which I also had a lot of. And this despite a recent facelift which, while undoubtedly brilliant at successfully halting the tide of ageing disintegration, did not address the actual texture or quality of my skin. Enough was enough. So, like all good millennials, I took to Dr Google... and promptly booked in for a CO2 laser, a treatment popular with celebs including Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow. In LA, the home of good skincare, facelifts and CO2 facelifts are synonymous – surgeons regularly book their clients for laser treatments as part of the aftercare package, such is the possible transformation. Some of the results looked mildly terrifying – people with peeling faces, scabs oozing pus and flaking skin. Unwilling to leave my skin to fate, or the hands of a dentist-turned- Botoxer, I booked in at London 's exclusive Harley Street Injectables. Clinic boss Alice Henshaw – who actually works with the surgeon who did my face, Dr Paul Tulley in London's Harley Street – had contacted me previously after reading about my op. (Yep, tweakments aren't my first rodeo). She is a highly rated aesthetician to many celebs and a whole raft of influencers, who regularly live Instagram from her clinic. Walking into the uber-plush clinic – it felt more Soho Farmhouse than an aesthetic practice (although both serve little pricks) – I was greeted by Stevie, an aesthetic nurse, who would be CO2-ing me. Clemmie Moodie Facelift Journey After being numbed for 30 minutes with anaesthetic cream – quite simply, the pain would be intolerable without it – she goes through my skin concerns. 'This is genuinely one of the best treatments out there,' Stevie reassures me. 'It's amazing for acne scarring, sun damage and for boosting collagen production to give the skin a plumper, more youthful glow. You're going to really see a difference. 'It's an ablative laser which causes controlled damage to the upper layers of the skin, stimulating the skin's natural healing process and helping produce new collagen. 'We're going to go for quite an aggressive setting today to maximise results.' Next thing I know I'm horizontal, with a machine blasting a burst of hot pulsing light on my skin. Seconds later, there's a waft of burning. 8 8 'What's that smell?' I ask, my thoughts briefly turning to what I'll have for dinner. 'Oh yes, that's your skin,' Stevie replies, casually, as I inhale a whiff of bacon. Having never had a laser treatment before, I really don't know what to expect. The following day I look like I've swallowed a football, and my face is beetroot red It feels like an elastic band is being pulled taut and then snapped on my face, hard, and repeatedly. It's fine on my forehead, but REALLY hurts on my upper lip. My eyes start watering and I'm trying – and failing – to look sanguine as cameraman Ben blithely zooms in on my increasingly red face. The sensitive neck area also smarts a bit – a solid 7.2/10 for pain (10 being 'give me a gun now', 0 being a nice massage at Soho Farmhouse) – but Stevie counts down throughout, reassuring me I'm doing 'great'. (TBH all I'm doing is lying still, but it's sweet and I am determined not to swear.) 'F***!!!' I promptly scream as she goes in beneath my eyes. For this, I am given two in-eye lenses to prevent any radiation from getting through. Ben is also given dark glasses to stop any radiation 'bounce', too. 'Not for the faint-hearted' Thankfully, within 20 minutes, it's all over. I'm red, but won't scare small children on the Tube home. Alice packs me off with a bespoke aftercare kit – an ice pack, her own range of Factor 100 sun cream, 5DHA hyaluronic acid serum, a lux moisturiser and some Skincycles bio-cellulose sheet face masks to help with hydration. I am told to avoid all sunshine for the next couple of weeks, which comes in handy for the start of the spring heatwave the following day. I look certifiably insane walking the dog in a polo neck, sunglasses and a Ted Lasso visor – the only hat I could find – in the blazing sunshine. The following day I look like I've swallowed a football, and my face is beetroot red. I cancel lunch with friends. Happily, my skin doesn't blister and there are no signs of pus. (Google Love Island 's Alexandra Crane 's CO2 experience if you're not eating.) From here, the redness begins to fade and I am just left with weird-looking 'grids' across my face. My skin feels like sandpaper. Day by day though, I start to see results. After three weeks, people start complimenting me on my 'glow' One week later, my pigmentation is significantly reduced – with the full effects seen in 12 weeks time – and my skin looks so, so much softer, plumper and, well, like it used to in my iPad memories circa 2017. There are fewer fine lines around my eyes and I am thrilled. After three weeks, people start complimenting me on my 'glow' and I even get away with not wearing any make-up to work. It's a joy. This non-invasive treatment, costing £2,000, isn't for the faint-hearted. But, well, it works. For more information visit 8 8 8
The Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Sun
Ricky Hatton bravely opens up on trying to take his own life as boxing legend admits ‘I almost wasn't here'
RICKY HATTON has bravely opened up about trying to end his life in a bid to help those fighting mental health problems. The former boxing world champion, 46, admitted there had been times he'd wanted to end things - but battled back from the brink. 3 3 3 Hatton made his comments as part of a new poster campaign. Billboards featuring The Hitman and adorned with the message "I Felt Suicidal, I Stayed" are currently on display in a bid to raise awareness of the struggles many face. Ricky said: "I almost wasn't here. But in the end I decided to stay. "There's always a reason to stay. You don't think it at the time. "But there always is. After doing so, these days my job isn't just boxing, it is to help spread the word and help people in the same place I was a few years ago." Hyde-born Hatton won 45 of his 48 pro fights during a glittering career. But his mental health deteriorated after stepping away from boxing in 2012. The multi-weight world champ admits he tried to kill himself on several occasions in a battle with depression. Hatton also talked about the need for boxers to get more help after hanging up their gloves. He told BBC Radio 4's Today show: "I tried to kill myself several times. Inside Ricky Hatton's career comeback after he beats addiction and finds fame on reality TV "I used to go to the pub, come back and sit there in the dark crying hysterically." He continued: "There were times when I hadn't had a drink for days and I'd still come home and if something went through my mind I'd start pondering something. "It was the same outcome whether I was having a drink or wasn't having a drink. "But in the end I thought I'll end up drinking myself to death because I was so miserable. "I was coming off the rails with my drinking and that led to drugs. It was like a runaway train." Depression... the signs to look for and what to do Depression can manifest in many ways. We all feel a bit low from time to time. But depression is persistent and can make a person feel helpless and unable to see a way through. They may also struggle to about daily life. Mind says these are some common signs of depression that you may experience: How you might feel Down, upset or tearful Restless, agitated or irritable Guilty, worthless and down on yourself Empty and numb Isolated and unable to relate to other people Finding no pleasure in life or things you usually enjoy Angry or frustrated over minor things A sense of unreality No self-confidence or self-esteem Hopeless and despairing Feeling tired all the time How you might act Avoiding social events and activities you usually enjoy Self-harming or suicidal behaviour Difficulty speaking, thinking clearly or making decisions Losing interest in sex Difficulty remembering or concentrating on things Using more tobacco, alcohol or other drugs than usual Difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much No appetite and losing weight, or eating more than usual and gaining weight Physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause Moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated If you feel this way, visit your GP who can help you. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support. The following are free to contact and confidential: Samaritans, 116 123, jo@ CALM (the leading movement against suicide in men) 0800 585 858 Papyrus (prevention of young suicide) 0800 068 41 41 Shout (for support of all mental health) text 85258 to start a conversation Mind, provide information about types of mental health problems and where to get help for them. Email info@ or call the infoline on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones will vary). YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for parents or carers worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. The website has a chat option too. Rethink Mental Illness, gives advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits, and carers rights. Use its website or call 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Ascot absence is just a blip in Princess of Wales's remarkable recovery
As the sun blazed down on Royal Ascot on Wednesday, racegoers were abuzz with news that the Princess of Wales would be attending the meeting. The official list of carriages in the Royal Procession had her name on it, along with those of the King, the Queen and the Prince of Wales, in what was expected to be her return to the summer season after her chemotherapy this time last year. In the end, it was not to be. In the hours ahead of the procession, Kensington Palace confirmed that the Princess would be unable to attend. It is said that while she was understandably disappointed not to attend, the Princess was mindful of treading a careful line as she returns to work. It is a salient reminder that life, even for the royals, is not a fairytale. There is no magic wand for health. There is no cause for alarm, we are told, backed by evidence of the Princess laughing and happy at the Garter Day ceremony at Windsor Castle just two days ago. She has, in truth, been staging a remarkable comeback. Since the September video in which she announced that she had finished her chemotherapy, the Princess has surpassed all expectations in her steady march back to work. From a lively anniversary trip to the Isle of Mull to placing a considered spotlight on Britain's creative sector at the V&A last week, she has looked happy, healthy and – as far as the public could see – as if she had never been away. At Trooping the Colour on Saturday, she appeared flawless, standing beside the King in the public eye for hours and watching over her well-behaved children. However, behind closed doors, it seems, things have not been so blissfully uncomplicated. The 'cancer journey', Catherine said in September, 'is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you'. 'Much needed time to heal' Almost exactly a year ago, as she attempted to reconcile her deeply private health issues with her public role, she said she was experiencing 'good days and bad days'. 'Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal,' she said. Since then, the Princess has made a valiant effort to get back into the public eye. At a time when the public would have given her grace in recovery, she has signed up to public engagements (more than 20 this year), and high-profile Royal events at which every camera lens is focused on her face. Her appearance, recently so healthy, has belied how difficult things were last year, and how hard the fight to return to normality has been. The King and his daughter-in-law have walked similar paths this year in very different ways. While the King, as a 76-year-old head of state, has largely ploughed on during cancer treatment, packing his diary with domestic engagements and international travel, the Princess – correctly – has had her mind on other things. With three small children, a future King among them, she is focused on the long term, supporting her husband and being there in all senses for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. She is disappointed to miss Ascot. But the big picture, as she, William and their advisers know, is more important. The watchword at the Palace is 'balance'. Her illness was serious, sources emphasise, and the long-term effects for any patient are unpredictable. The public are kind enough, nowadays, to understand that royals are human and they cannot perform at all times. The summer season at Ascot will survive, with royals aplenty. The presence of the Prince of Wales, who would have no qualms about shouldering criticism to skip the event to be by his wife's side if needed, as well as that of Carole Middleton, the Princess's mother, was reassuring. The Princess is likely to be seen again very soon, at Wimbledon as well as official engagements, before the children break up for their school holidays. 'Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes,' she said in September. This year, she has made it look easy – but it is not.
