‘I felt robbed’: bereaved parents hope for answers from Sussex maternity review
Source: Guardian Health ↗
A public inquiry into the maternity services of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust was launched on Saturday, following a campaign by bereaved families and a joint New Statesman‑BBC investigation that suggested at least 55 infant deaths could have been avoided. The review, chaired by Donna Ockenden—renowned for previous inquiries into Shrewsbury and Telford, Nottingham and Leeds maternity units—will examine more than 1,000 maternity and neonatal cases dating back to 2018. One of the families speaking at the Brighton launch was Susan Cacciacarro, who was 37 weeks pregnant with her daughter Chiara in 2021 when she woke up unable to feel fetal movements; a subsequent scan at Worthing Hospital failed to detect a heartbeat and Chiara was delivered stillborn, leaving Cacciacarro “feeling robbed” and demanding answers for the harmed and bereaved.
The impetus for the review stems from a February exposé that highlighted systemic shortcomings in the trust’s handling of high‑risk pregnancies, including missed opportunities to intervene when Chiara’s growth stalled at 34 weeks. Despite being classified as high risk after a 20‑week diagnosis of a cardiac defect, the hospital did not accelerate delivery, adhering instead to a planned 39‑week birth date. The investigation’s findings have amplified calls for accountability and transparency, with families emphasizing that the primary goal is to improve safety and prevent further tragedies. Ockenden outlined a “finer‑details” approach, pledging to engage directly with affected families, especially those who are seldom heard, and to ensure the review’s scope reflects their experiences, thereby facilitating meaningful improvements in care.
University Hospitals Sussex’s chief executive, Dr Andy Heeps, expressed sympathy for the families and pledged full cooperation with the Ockenden review, noting that the trust has already implemented “many positive changes” in recent years and will continue to seek safer practices. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson echoed this sentiment, linking the inquiry to broader national efforts—including the maternity and neonatal taskforce, increased investment in safety, and reforms inspired by earlier Ockenden and Amos reviews—to deliver more compassionate, consistent care across the NHS. The Truth for Our Babies (TFOB) campaigners, who organized the public meeting, urged other affected families to come forward, hoping the review will not only provide answers but also drive systemic change that safeguards future mothers and infants.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economylow impact
What this means for you
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- ▶Overseas suppliers may subtly rethink their pricing after news like this.
🏙️Local Economylow impact
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- ▶The high street usually mirrors big-picture shifts, just a little down the road.
🏦Rates & Bankslow impact
What this means for you
- ▶The cost of borrowing tends to shift gradually rather than in one leap.
- ▶The next rate-setting meeting is a more likely trigger than this news alone.
❤️Healthlow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Vulnerable groups might want extra reassurance from a trusted source.
- ▶Peace of mind often starts with reliable information.
💷Wealthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Time off work for health reasons can add up faster than people expect.
- ▶Sick pay and benefits are worth understanding before you need them.
🏠Housingmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶A slow-moving market like housing rarely reacts overnight.
- ▶Housing supply and demand rarely turn on a single piece of news.
🌍 Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.