Health Secretary James Murray is currently seeking legal advice to determine if senior clinicians who declined to participate in the Ockenden Review can be compelled to provide evidence under new legislation. Murray described the refusal of these staff members to assist in the investigation into Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust as entirely unacceptable.
During a broadcast interview, Murray explained that a duty of candour will be integrated into the upcoming Hillsborough Law, which aims to increase accountability for public bodies. He is now examining whether these legal requirements could be applied retroactively to those involved in the Nottingham case. The maternity review, led by Donna Ockenden, revealed systemic failures and potentially avoidable harm in over 500 cases, marking it as the largest inquiry of its kind in NHS history.
While 37 out of 66 approached senior colleagues provided input, the gaps left by those who declined to participate have hindered the full scope of the investigation. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting has suggested that those who refused to cooperate should be summoned to appear before the health and social care select committee. Murray supported this notion, stating that such individuals should agree to testify if invited by the committee.
Reflecting on his meetings with the affected families, Murray expressed the deep personal impact of hearing their stories. The government has committed to introducing stricter measures to ensure staff compliance with future maternity reviews, including potential prison sentences for those who obstruct investigations, as part of a broader effort to dismantle the culture of silence within the trust.
