Police investigation into Shropshire maternity scandal receives extra government funding
The criminal investigation into Shropshire's baby death scandal has been given an extra £1.6m of funding from the government.
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West Mercia's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) John Campion has welcomed the money, which will be used to support the ongoing investigation to provide justice for mothers and babies impacted at Shropshire & Telford NHS Trust (SaTH).
The specialist investigation, called Operation Lincoln, started in 2021 and is being carried out by West Mercia Police.
After seeking continued funding support from the Government, the Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Diana Johnson has confirmed that £1.6million will be available to West Mercia Police with the PCC contributing more than £720,000 over the financial year.
Mr Campion said the funding ensures the investigation has the resources it needs, without impacting the day-to-day policing of local communities.
He said: “I welcome the government’s decision to support a major investigation which will have a significant impact on the public, both in West Mercia and nationally too.”
The Ockenden Report, which investigated failings at SaTH, concluded that there were at least 201 cases where mothers or babies died in the trust's care involving significant or major concerns where better care could have led to a different outcome.
West Mercia Police launched Operation Lincoln in 2021 and in 2022 the force revealed it initially identified 823 cases it wanted to examine.
Included in the 823 cases were four cases that occurred since 2019.
The force confirmed that 122 cases had been reviewed with a decision made that there was insufficient evidence to progress these cases any further.
Speaking in April 2022 Detective Chief Superintendent Damian Barratt said: “The scope of a police investigation differs from that of an independent review and there are parameters and thresholds around what can, and cannot, be included in a criminal investigation.
"Therefore, as we continue to the review cases, the final number included in our investigation will differ and is likely to be significantly less than this 701."
