Donna Ockenden: dedicated to improving UK maternity services

Abstract

Donna Ockenden is a respected UK health-services leader. A Welsh native and nurse and midwife by training, she is Chair of the Independent Review of Maternity Services at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK. Speaking about her priorities in the role, the straight-talking Ockenden says: “I’m absolutely clear that all voices that want to be heard, will be heard, and will be amplified. And what they tell us absolutely will be acted upon. We know that Nottingham has a diverse population and a community and from day one we are ensuring that we listen to and act upon the voices of all those women and families.” Noting that families campaigned for the review after the deaths of babies, she adds that “we need to make sure that families get the answers that they deserve, but also that they can see meaningful and sustainable change in the safety and quality of maternity services for their local communities…We will work with the trust to ensure that change happens in a timely way.”