Parents’ grief over avoidable stillbirth at Nottingham hospital

The parents of a stillborn baby, lost due to hospital errors, have expressed their profound grief and raised concerns that the public’s unwavering support for the NHS could be harmful. Harriet Hawkins was stillborn eight years ago, leaving her parents, Jack and Sarah, in a continuous state of sorrow. They believe Harriet’s death was avoidable and feel the tragedy is compounded by the knowledge that she could have survived if they had been in the hospital a day earlier.

Harriet’s father, Jack, emotionally recalls his daughter, who would have been eight and a half years old, and laments the senselessness of her death. He and Sarah have had to fight for justice on their own, as a 2021 report identified 13 failings in Sarah’s care. Harriet was stillborn at 41 weeks, six days after Sarah went into labour and nine hours after Harriet was declared dead. The hospital failed to diagnose Sarah’s labour correctly and confused Harriet’s heartbeat with her mother’s.

Both parents worked at Nottingham City Hospital, where Sarah gave birth. Jack remains angry at the systemic failures and the lack of accountability for those involved in Harriet’s stillbirth. Harriet’s case is part of a larger review of hundreds of baby deaths at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH), the largest maternity review in UK history, following similar scandals in East Kent and Shrewsbury.

Ombudsman Rebecca Hilsenrath has suggested the public’s adulation for the NHS during the pandemic could have stifled necessary criticism. She emphasised no organisation should be above constructive criticism. Jack and other families fear the current review will not lead to significant changes in the NHS to prevent avoidable stillbirths in the future.

Jack hopes the review will detail governance failures but worries about its practical impact. He questions whether the findings will lead to meaningful changes in maternity services across the country. Ms Hilsenrath shares these concerns, noting that recommendations from previous inquiries have often not been implemented. She stresses the need for genuine action rather than just another inquiry.

Ms Hilsenrath will provide evidence to Lord Darzi, who is compiling a comprehensive report on NHS failings, due next month. Jack fears that delays in acting on the report’s findings will result in more preventable baby deaths and stillbirths. While nothing can erase the pain of losing Harriet, Jack and Sarah hope that ensuring no other parents endure similar grief might ease their burden.

In 2017, Tracy Taylor, then chief executive of Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust, apologised for the shortcomings that led to Harriet’s death. The current chief executive, Anthony May, has acknowledged the pain caused to many families and expressed his commitment to listening to their feedback to improve services and rebuild trust.