Maternity inquiry chair named in government U-turn

"Amarjit Matharoo, whose daughter Asees was stillborn in January 2024, said it "has been a long, drawn-out, and emotionally draining process to get the assurances that this investigation will be handled with the appropriate methodology and care that it needs"."

"Streeting thanked families for "their openness in recent discussions" and said he was "delighted to appoint someone so trusted" by bereaved and harmed families, acknowledging the families' sustained advocacy for Ockenden's appointment."

"Ockenden said she "commends the secretary of state" for "making the right decision from the families' perspective", noting that "Families have been very clear for a very long time that their request was for me to chair their independent maternity services at Leeds.""

Health Secretary Wes Streeting reversed his earlier decision to exclude Donna Ockenden from leading an independent inquiry into maternity and neonatal services at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The inquiry was announced in October 2025 to investigate repeated failures at maternity units at Leeds General Infirmary and St James's University Hospital. Bereaved and harmed families, along with MPs, campaigned for Ockenden's appointment, with families meeting with Streeting multiple times to advocate for her leadership. Ockenden, a senior midwife, is now appointed as chair. Families expressed relief at the decision, describing the process as emotionally draining but ultimately successful in securing their preferred investigator.

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