Donna Ockenden

Donna Ockenden is a midwife known for leading independent reviews of maternity services within the UK's National Health Service (NHS). She gained prominence for her 2020 review of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which uncovered significant failings in maternity care. Ockenden is newsworthy because she has recently been appointed to lead a review into maternity services at two hospitals in Leeds, where a concerning number of baby and maternal deaths occurred over a five-year period. This appointment follows the publication of a damning interim report from a national investigation into England's maternity services, highlighting deep-rooted issues such as staff shortages, insensitivity, racism, and discrimination. Ockenden's involvement is significant as families who have experienced loss are expressing renewed trust in the health secretary due to her appointment, hoping her expertise will lead to meaningful improvements and accountability within the Leeds maternity services.