The series of scandals in NHS maternity care

Analysis: Across the country more than 1,000 maternity incidents occur every year including deaths of mothers and babies, writes Shaun Lintern

More than 900 cases of alleged poor care are being investigated at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust (Alamy)

Jeremy Hunt’s backing for a national inquiry into maternity safety in the NHS comes amid growing concern over maternity services.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) watchdog has launched a criminal investigation into failings at East Kent Hospitals University trust after it was found guilty of neglect by a coroner examining the traumatic death of baby Harry Richford in November 2017.

Harry’s family have battled for more than two years to expose what happened to him, and accused the hospital of a cover-up after it claimed his death was expected and resisted informing the coroner.