Every year, thousands of families experience the heartbreak of losing a baby during pregnancy, birth, or shortly after. Baby loss can be an incredibly isolating experience, and access to the right support at the right time can make a meaningful difference.
Sands is the UK’s leading pregnancy loss and baby loss charity. It brings people together to share their stories, access support, and campaign for improvements in maternity care so that fewer families face such devastating loss in future.
This week marks Sands Awareness Week. Every person affected by baby loss needs different support, and that support can change over time. Sands recognise this and is there for anyone affected by pregnancy or baby loss. Not only parents, but also family members, friends, colleagues and health professionals.
The charity provides a range of support services, including a free national helpline, email and online chat support, digital resources, and local support groups. In addition, Sands lead Baby Loss Awareness Week in October, a time to honour the lives lost too soon, to support grieving families, and to raise awareness of the lasting impact of baby loss on individuals and communities.
The reality of maternity care in the Midlands
While many families receive safe and compassionate care, there have also been serious concerns raised about maternity services across parts of the Midlands in recent years. Understanding these issues is an important part of improving care and ensuring families receive the support and answers they deserve.
Investigations have identified failings in several NHS Trusts, including:
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) is currently undergoing the largest maternity investigation in NHS history through the Ockenden Review. Our team is supporting some of the families involved, and the final report is due to be published shortly, in June 2026.
- In February 2025, NUH was prosecuted by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and pleaded guilty to six charges of failing to provide safe care and treatment to three mothers and their babies, tragically resulting in the deaths of all three babies.
- In 2023, maternity services at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) were downgraded by the CQC to “Requires Improvement” and “Inadequate” for safety, with several areas identified for urgent improvement.
- A review of 168 perinatal deaths between January 2020 and March 2023 at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB) found that in a number of cases there were care issues, with the Trust acknowledging it “could and should have done better”.
- The Ockenden Review into maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (published in 2022) identified catastrophic failings that contributed to the deaths of nine mothers and over 200 babies between 2000 and 2019.
How we can support you
For some families, questions remain about whether different care could have changed the outcome. Seeking answers can be an important part of understanding what happened and, for some, a step towards processing their loss.
Our Serious Injury and Clinical Negligence team is committed to supporting families affected by baby loss, particularly where medical care may have fallen below acceptable standards. Based in the Midlands, we’re familiar with the local NHS Trusts and experienced in navigating complex and sensitive cases.
Ranked in the Legal 500, our team offers compassionate and confidential advice tailored to everyone’s circumstances. We specialise in birth injury and maternity-related claims.
As a Senior Associate specialising in clinical negligence, I understand the devastation that losing a baby at any stage of pregnancy or early life can have on a family. This is something I have seen both professionally and personally. Where care has been wholly inadequate, families deserve clear answers and closure to help them grieve and process one of the most difficult times of their lives.
Additional support and resources
Alongside specialist legal advice, we can also help signpost you and your family to appropriate local and national support services.
If you or someone you know has been affected by baby loss, the following charities offer specialist support:
Sources
NUH Maternity Investigation:
https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/independent-review-into-maternity-services-at-the-trust/
https://www.ockendenmaternityreview.org.uk/
NUH prosecution:
UHL CQC rating:
Care Quality Commission reports
Derby perinatal death review:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1wnjr0d97qo
Shrewsbury and Telford Ockenden review:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/final-report-of-the-ockenden-review
If you’d like to talk through your experience, even informally, our Medical Negligence team is here to listen. We offer free, confidential initial advice and can guide you through your options at your own pace. Call us on 03456 465 465 or email enquiries@rotherabray.co.uk
