Maternity data deleted 'methodically and selectively'

Files relating to hundreds of maternity cases at a scandal-hit NHS trust were "methodically and selectively deleted", an independent investigation found.

The investigation followed a police inquiry into the data breach at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust - which was at the centre of the biggest review of maternity failings in NHS history - in July 2024.

Jack Hawkins, whose daughter Harriet was stillborn at Nottingham City Hospital - run by the trust - said it was "terrifying" that the individual who deleted the files could not be identified by any investigation.

NUH has apologised for the distress caused by the breach and a further data incident in August this year.

Investigation reports to the trust's board covering the 2024 data deletion and a data incident in August this year have been shared with the BBC.

They showed an investigation was carried out independently by a barrister into the 2024 incident, following a police investigation.

Nottinghamshire Police concluded in June 2025 that the deletion was "most likely to be the action of an individual" but the loss "was not caused or contributed to by any systemic corruption within NUH".

Families affected by maternity failings at the trust were told the files were "most likely" to have been deleted intentionally or maliciously.

A barrister independently found the information which was deleted would have been relevant to both the senior coroner and the independent review of maternity failings led by senior midwife Donna Ockenden.

The deleted material was restored but due to the "absence of auditing information, it was not possible to identify who had deleted the files".

The independent investigation was also unable to find a motive, but concluded it was a possibility that the deletion could have been "connected to concerns about scrutiny of historic record keeping".

It also found that the deletion "could have been intended to create the impression that another person was responsible".

Hawkins, who has long campaigned for accountability alongside his daughter's mother Sarah Hawkins, said it was "really bad" that nobody had been held accountable for the data breach.

"The independent investigation concluded that the files were methodically and selectively deleted and that it was intentional rather than accidental. That's terrifying," he said.

"What I guess this means for the users of Nottingham hospitals is that both police and a barrister concluded that somebody who may be giving care to you and your loved ones, deliberately deleted information... and is now working still.

"They cannot be found. Are they going to be honest if that care goes wrong?"

In response to the data breach in 2024, the chief executive of the trust Anthony May said NUH was "deeply sorry" and immediate steps had been taken when the trust became aware of the breach.

"Nottinghamshire Police investigated the incident and concluded that the deletion was most likely to have been deliberate and intentional, but were not able to identify a responsible individual," he said.

"We then commissioned a further independent investigation, which reached the same conclusion, as well as providing a number of recommendations that we are following up on to improve our records keeping and help prevent a similar incident from occurring again."

Hawkins said he was "not surprised" by the technical incident that led to the loss of further maternity data this year but was "horrified".

Further maternity records of women and babies who received care between September 2011 and November 2022 were overwritten during "technical work" on 18 August.

Nottinghamshire Police was informed of the incident and previously confirmed it was assessing its impact on Operation Perth - the force's investigation into deaths and injuries related to maternity care provided by the trust.

An investigation chaired by the trust's director of corporate governance concluded that cause of the data loss was a technical error.

It also found that the incident was not a result of a single point of failure or actions of an individual, but "arose from the interaction of multiple control weaknesses".

The trust's report said: "Although the incident ultimately affected a maternity database, the investigation concluded that this was largely a matter of circumstance rather than a maternity-specific issue."

It also found there was "no evidence of widespread loss of clinical information required for patient care".

Responding to the incident in August, May said: "We recognise that the incident has caused further harm to families that we have failed previously and we are very sorry for the impact it will have had.

"The data was overwritten as a result of a human error during a routine technical process. Immediate action was taken to recover the data.

"The information needed to support patient care was restored, but we have been unable to fully restore audit records showing who viewed maternity records between September 2011 and November 2022.

"A full investigation was conducted, we informed the Information Commissioner's Office and Nottinghamshire Police, all of which concluded there was no malicious intent found.

"We have since strengthened our processes and controls to help prevent a similar incident from happening again."

A number of next steps and recommendations were made as a result of both reports which the trust said it was following up on.

Listen to BBC Radio Nottingham on Sounds and follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.