Nottingham maternity inquiry details bias and understaffing, report finds
A Panorama investigation has highlighted problems at the Nottingham maternity unit run by Nottingham university hospitals NHS trust, which is the subject of the largest maternity inquiry in NHS history. The inquiry spans 13 years from 2012 and covers 2,500 families. According to the documentary, the whiteboard in the unit included the abbreviation “FOH” next to women’s names, meaning “fuck off home.” Senior midwives were reported to have advised others not to be “too kind.” Individual cases included women being warned against coming to the hospital for so long that one arrived with a dead baby and a collapsed perineum and vaginal wall. Donna Ockenden, the senior midwife writing the Nottinghamshire report, said there was conscious and spoken bias against South Asian women, who were thought to complain about pain more, but she stated it was discrimination. One community midwife said staffing levels were not safe, which led to disasters and forced staff to lower their compassion to remain resilient.
What’s reported
The Panorama episode aired on the night of the article’s publication (June 1, 2026).
The maternity unit is run by Nottingham university hospitals NHS trust.
The maternity inquiry is the largest in NHS history, covering 2012 to 2025 (13 years) and 2,500 families.
“FOH” was written on a whiteboard next to women’s names, standing for “fuck off home.”
Senior midwives advised others not to be “too kind.”
One woman was warned off coming to hospital so long that when she arrived her baby was dead and her perineum and vaginal wall had collapsed.
Donna Ockenden reported bias: staff thought South Asian women complained about pain more, which she called discrimination.
A community midwife stated that staffing levels were unsafe, causing disasters and lowered compassion.
Key figures
Donna Ockenden, senior midwife writing the Nottinghamshire report
One community midwife (name not provided)
Sources: The Guardian
