Watch: Shropshire maternity review chair issues final appeal to families
The woman in charge of a review of maternity care at Shropshire's major hospitals has issued a final plea for concerned families to come forward before the end of the month.
In a video update, Donna Ockenden, who has been leading a government-ordered review of maternity services at Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said that "there is still time" for people to contact her team.
In total 1,170 cases are now involved in the investigation.
Mrs Ockenden said had written to 400 of those families to ask if they want their care to be reviewed by her team and, as a result, be part of the final report.
Watch Donna Ockenden's update:
The review was launched following the efforts of Rhiannon and Richard Stanton Davies, whose daughter Kate died shortly after birth in 2009, and Kayleigh and Colin Griffiths, whose daughter Pippa died shortly after birth in 2016.
They wrote to the then Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt outlining their concerns and he ordered the review.
In her latest update Mrs Ockenden says that they are working with a reduced team due the coronavirus pandemic, but that work is ongoing.
She has also asked anyone with concerns about the maternity care they have experienced at the trust to contact her before the end of the month.
In her update Mrs Ockenden said: "I appreciate this has been, and continues to be a long and difficult journey for so many families. Today I wanted to reassure everyone that we are till making progress on the maternity review during this difficult and dreadful time of Covid-19.
"We are working with a reduced team, but work is ongoing and as chair of the review I will ensure everyone's voice will be heard."
The review chair also outlined how she was contacting families who have raised concerns to see if they want their cases included in the final report.
She said: "Some of you may also have seen in the press last week that the total number of families involved in the review now stands at 1,170. This number has sadly risen since last year as the number of families coming forward to us has continued.
"I have written to 400 of these families to find out whether they would like their care to be reviewed by my independent team and therefore to be part of my final report.
"I am also making a final plea to ask any family who has been significantly affected by their maternity care and treatment at the trust to get in touch with my team by the end of may, there is still time.
"Please do make contact, your story is important to us."
Families can contact Donna Ockenden and her team by calling 01243 786993 or emailing maternityreview@donnaockenden.com
