Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals dropped from national maternity investigation over ongoing police inquiry
Shrewsbury and Telford's hospitals have been dropped from a national maternity investigation.
Last month it was announced that the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust (SaTH) was one of 14 trusts across the country set to be examined by Baroness Valerie Amos, as part of her investigation into England's maternity and neonatal services.
But it has now emerged that SaTH is being removed from the list - along with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
The decision to remove the Yorkshire trust comes after the Health Secretary ordered an independent inquiry into its maternity services - similar to the Ockenden inquiry which uncovered years of poor care at SaTH.
The decision to remove SaTH, which has been communicated to families involved in the inquiry, comes for different reasons.
Baroness Amos said she had taken the decision to withdraw the trust after discussions with West Mercia Police - and said the move is to maintain the integrity of the ongoing police investigation into maternity care at SaTH.
That investigation, Operation Lincoln, was launched back in 2020.
In June of this year officers leading the investigation delivered an update on their progress, saying they were set to begin witness interviews with hospital staff.
Speaking at the time, senior investigating officer Superintendent Carl Moore said: “We have updated families this week that a new phase of our investigation has begun. This includes carrying out witness interviews with current and former members of staff at the trust.
“Our investigation remains active with a focused and dedicated team. At the heart of this, there are a number of bereaved families seeking answers as to what happened to their loved ones, and we are committed to ensuring that the families involved are fully informed at each stage of our enquiries.”
Families affected by the SaTH maternity scandal are understood to be concerned that the decision will remove their ability to share experiences with the Baroness Amos' review.
