Maternity Failings at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust: What Families Need to Know

In recent months, serious concerns have emerged over the quality and safety of maternity and neonatal care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has issued damning inspection reports, and internal Trust reviews have revealed dozens of cases where stillbirths and neonatal deaths may have been avoidable. For many families, these revelations are not only distressing—they are deeply personal.

What Happened at Leeds Teaching Hospitals?

In May 2024, the CQC carried out unannounced inspections of maternity services at both Leeds General Infirmary and St James's University Hospital. The findings were deeply concerning:

• Both maternity units were downgraded from "Good" to "Inadequate" overall.

• Neonatal services were found to be "Requires Improvement", with some areas rated "Inadequate".

• Inspectors identified a "significant risk" to women and babies, citing:

  • Unsafe storage of medicines

  • Dirty clinical environments

  • Staff shortages are impacting patient safety

  • A blame culture discourages staff from speaking up

• A formal warning notice was issued, requiring the Trust to make urgent improvements.

  
  

Further scrutiny uncovered that between 2019 and mid-2024, the Trust's own internal reviews had flagged 27 stillbirths and 29 neonatal deaths as potentially preventable. These reviews were conducted by the Trust's Perinatal Mortality Review Tool (PMRT) panel.

The Trust has since been added to the national maternity and neonatal investigation programme, alongside several other trusts with a history of safety concerns.

Why This Matters for Families

The regulator's findings confirm what many families have long suspected: that serious mistakes in care may have contributed to tragic outcomes. From a legal perspective, these reports are crucial. They demonstrate:

• Systemic failures: This isn't about isolated mistakes—these are patterns of unsafe practice.

• Breach of duty: Failing to provide clean, safe environments or adequate staffing falls below accepted standards of care.

• Causation risk: When harm occurs in an already unsafe system, the argument that the harm was avoidable becomes stronger.

• Delayed accountability: Many families report being ignored or dismissed when raising concerns at the time.

  
  

This information can significantly strengthen potential clinical negligence claims—especially where harm could have been prevented by timely intervention or better care.

Could I Have a Claim?

As clinical negligence solicitors, we understand how traumatic it can be to experience harm during what should be a joyful time.

Suppose you or a loved one received maternity or neonatal care at Leeds General Infirmary or St James's between 2019 and 2024, and you believe something went wrong. In that case, it may be worth investigating further.

Some of the red flags we commonly see in successful claims include:

• Delays in recognising or responding to fetal distress

• Inadequate monitoring during labour

• Failure to escalate concerns (either medical or from the patient/family)

• Delays in performing a C-section or assisted delivery

• Poor management of infection or sepsis post-birth

• Stillbirth or neonatal death following warning signs

• Birth injury, including oxygen deprivation, leading to conditions like cerebral palsy

Every case is different. Even if no formal investigation was offered at the time, or if you were told "these things just happen," we may be able to help you uncover the whole truth.

If you have concerns about maternity care you or your child received, we are here to help. We offer free, confidential consultations, and we will guide you through all of your options with compassion and care.

You are not alone. We are already supporting families affected by these issues and are committed to helping you get the answers—and justice—you deserve. Don't hesitate to contact Graystons for advice and support on 0151 645 0055 or by email at enquiries@graystons.co.uk.