Leeds hospital trust faces fresh calls for independent maternity care inquiry
More families speak out over baby deaths and trauma at Leeds hospitals as pressure grows for a full review
When Tassie Weaver was told to stay at home during labour despite being high risk, she trusted the advice. Hours later, her son Baxter was stillborn. Now, four years on, she’s among dozens of parents demanding an independent inquiry into maternity services at Leeds hospitals.
More families share traumatic maternity experiences
A further 47 families have come forward to BBC News with serious concerns about maternity care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust – bringing the total to 67 families who say their babies died, were injured, or that they were left traumatised by inadequate care.
Many of the latest families said they felt dismissed, unheard and unsupported, echoing concerns raised in a BBC investigation earlier this year into potentially avoidable deaths of 56 babies and two mothers at Leeds hospitals between 2019 and 2024.
Among the parents is 39-year-old Tassie Weaver, who gave birth to her son Baxter at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI). Despite being flagged as high risk due to high blood pressure and concerns about her baby's growth, Tassie says she was repeatedly told by a midwife to stay home, even after she reported reduced movements.
“I was treated as just a kind of hysterical woman in pain who doesn't know what's going on because it's their first pregnancy,” she told the BBC.
When she was finally told to go to hospital, it was too late — her baby’s heart had stopped.
Trust admits mistakes as families demand inquiry
An internal review by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust concluded that care failings were “likely to have made a difference to the outcome” in Baxter’s death. The care Tassie received was graded “D” – the lowest possible level – and the report found that her concerns were not appropriately managed.
Tassie said: “I knew that me and my baby needed help, and I tried to communicate that as clearly as I could, and I didn't get that help.”
The trust has offered “sincere apologies” to the family. Its Chief Medical Officer, Dr Magnus Harrison, said in a statement: “We are fully committed to ensuring that every family receives safe, respectful and compassionate care. We recognise we need to make improvements.”
‘It’s ruined our lives’
Heidi Mayman and her partner Dale Morton also lost their daughter, Lyla, in 2019 — two years before Tassie’s son. Lyla died four days after birth. Heidi said her concerns during labour were dismissed for hours despite calling multiple times about fluid loss and reduced movements.
“I just wish she were here. I feel like it's just ruined our lives, I'll never get over it,” she said.
An external investigation by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch found protocols had not been followed and described a “catalogue of errors”.
Whistleblowers say problems run deep
Three new whistleblowers have also spoken to the BBC, adding to the two who previously raised alarm about staffing levels, cultural issues, and a lack of accountability at Leeds hospitals.
One senior staff member said: “People are scared to raise concerns because nothing ever happens when they are raised. So there's a 'what's the point' attitude.”
Another said a baby had died unnecessarily due to missed signs during labour and that concerns were often “swept under the carpet”.
Between April 2015 and April 2024, there were 107 clinical claims related to obstetric care at the trust, with NHS Resolution paying out over £71m. This included compensation for 14 stillbirths and 13 maternal or neonatal deaths.
Campaign for Donna Ockenden to lead review
A growing number of Leeds families have joined calls for an independent review into maternity care at the trust. Many are urging Health Secretary Wes Streeting to appoint senior midwife Donna Ockenden, who led the landmark Shrewsbury and Telford maternity review.
They say the trust cannot be left to mark its own homework — and they’re not alone. Families from other parts of England who have experienced similar losses met Mr Streeting this week, calling for a national inquiry into maternity safety.
Jack Hawkins, whose daughter Harriet died in Nottingham in 2016, said: “The door is definitely unlocked. It's the only way we can improve what's going on.”
What’s next for maternity safety?
While Mr Streeting has not confirmed a national inquiry, he has met with bereaved families and is said to be finalising a new safety plan. The proposed measures include:
- A maternity improvement taskforce led by independent (non-NHS) officials
- A buddying system linking underperforming trusts with high-performing ones
- A restorative justice model encouraging open dialogue between hospitals and families
The Department of Health and Social Care said the government is “finalising measures to strengthen leadership and build a culture rooted in safety, respect, and compassion in maternity services”.
CQC report expected soon
England’s care regulator, the CQC, carried out unannounced inspections of Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s University Hospital in December 2024 and January 2025. A full report is expected soon.
The CQC has already taken enforcement action and required the trust to address unsafe staffing levels.
In March, NHS England placed the trust under its Maternity Safety Support Programme due to ongoing concerns.
Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, said: “We are taking the concerns raised by families about the quality and safety of maternity care in Leeds incredibly seriously.”
The trust says it is commissioning an external review of its neonatal outcomes and making staffing and culture a priority.
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Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.