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Health Secretary Orders NHS Investigation Into Oxford Maternity Care After New Revelations

The move follows reporting that uncovered stillbirths, neonatal deaths, alongside a baby wrongly declared stillborn.

Overview

  • Wes Streeting called the allegations at Oxford University Hospitals "scandalous" and asked NHS England to probe practices at the trust.
  • Baroness Valerie Amos’s team is conducting an on-site rapid review in Oxford, with initial recommendations due by December 2025.
  • NHS England will examine the trust’s OxGrip pathway, including the extra 36‑week scan and its impact on resources and guideline adherence.
  • The trust apologized, said it is cooperating with national reviews, and cited steps such as hiring 54 additional midwives, enhanced training, leadership changes and upgraded facilities.
  • Local MPs urged transparency, including publication of Care Quality Commission findings, while campaigners reported obstacles such as a covertly recorded support meeting and a threatening legal letter.