Investigation into maternity services at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust reveals shocking failures

As previously highlighted, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was announced as of 14 trusts under review as part of the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation (this has since been narrowed to focus on 12 trusts). 

Maternity services at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are under even more intense scrutiny following a joint four-month investigation by Channel 4 News and the New Statesman. The investigation uncovered shocking allegations in relation to maternity services at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

In response to the findings, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has ordered NHS England to investigate what he has described as a “moral failure” in the system. 

Patient Experiences at the Centre of the Investigation and concerns raised

24 families came forward to contribute to the investigation, with tragic accounts of stillbirths, neonatal deaths, children left with brain damage and serious maternal harm after receiving poor maternity care. 

The investigation has raised serious questions about the Trust’s use of the OxGRIP scanning pathway, which was introduced to improve the detection of fetal growth restriction and reduce stillbirths. 

Critics argue that OxGRIP deviates from NICE and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidelines, and that it may have led to high-risk pregnancies being denied essential scans. 

While the Trust maintains that OxGRIP has improved outcomes, published data from MBRRACE (2023) showed that the Trust had the highest stillbirth rate in England in comparison to similar Trusts. Although the Trust has cited more recent unpublished data suggesting improvements, the 2023 figures remain a significant concern.

In addition to these concerns, the investigation also found that until 2021, the Trust operated an explicit policy of denying all maternal request caesarean sections, which is inconsistent with NICE guidelines.

What Happens Next? 

Channel 4 news have reported that on 7 October 2025, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducted an unannounced inspection of the Trust’s maternity unit. The outcome of this was not known at the time of publication. 

As mentioned above, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of 12 trusts currently under review as part of the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation led by Baroness Valerie Amos. The review will focus on understanding the experiences of families, assessing the quality and safety of care, and identifying leadership and systemic issues contributing to poor outcomes.

Simon Crowther, Interim Chief Executive, has issued a public statement offering “heartfelt apologies to any family who has not received the standard of care they deserve” and stated that Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has taken steps to improve maternity services, including hiring 54 additional midwives, enhancing clinical training, and investing in bereavement support. However, he admitted that “there is much more to do”. 

Whilst there is hope that these active investigations into maternity services at the Trust will lead to meaningful change, this cannot undo the lasting impact on the families affected by poor care to date.