Report highlights ‘significant concerns' over hospital maternity services
More than 100 recommendations have been made to improve maternity care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
The trust has apologised to families and said that a 'comprehensive improvement plan' is in place.
A report by NHS England's Maternity Safety Support Programme highlights how maternity services in Leeds 'had a challenge in responding to families who have experienced harm and poor outcomes' which led to several families seeking an independent inquiry.
It highlights a 'challenging' culture in the organisation.
The report says learning from incidents was 'not robust' and describes how staff felt safety concerns were de-escalated without being resolved.
Around 9,000 babies are born each year across St James University Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary, which are run by the trust.
The trust is one of several which are being examined as part of a national review into NHS maternity care.
The first part of the review will see experts investigate up to 10 of the most concerning maternity and neonatal units, including Leeds, with a view to give affected families answers as quickly as possible.
The second will be a 'system-wide' look at maternity and neonatal care, uniting lessons from past maternity inquiries to create one clear set of actions designed to improve national NHS care.
The investigation will report back before the end of the year.
Law firm Irwin Mitchell said that it is representing a number of affected families, including parents whose babies have either died or been left with life-long disabilities or mothers who have been injured while giving birth.
Medical negligence lawyer Rachelle Mahapatra, from the firm's Leeds office, said: 'This latest report yet again lays bare the scale of the problems within Leeds's maternity services.
'That more than 100 recommendations have been made will yet again cause concerns and upset among families, including those we continue to represent.
' One of the most damning areas of concern is issues that have blighted maternity services have been allowed to continue because of a lack of learning.
'It's imperative that when something goes wrong in the NHS, families are listened to, problems are analysed and reviewed – and any recommendations implemented to prevent the same mistakes happening time and time again.'
Rabina Tindale, chief nurse at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: 'This report has highlighted significant areas where we need to improve our maternity services, and my priority is to make sure we urgently take action to deliver the recommendations.
'I would like to apologise to all the families who have received maternity care with us which has fallen short of the high standard we aim to provide.
'It is vital that as a trust we listen more to our families and understand their experiences and concerns so we can address these and ensure everyone's experience is of the highest standard.
'We have already started making improvements to our services, and have a comprehensive improvement plan in place.
'Our commitment is to ensure every family feels safe, supported, and respected throughout their maternity journey with us.'
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