Nottingham Maternity Staff Called Pregnant Women 'Useless' in Panorama Exposé

Staff at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust repeatedly used offensive and degrading language to describe pregnant women in their care, a BBC Panorama investigation has revealed. Secret recordings captured workers referring to expectant mothers as "useless" and instructing colleagues "not to be too kind" when assisting women in labour. The documentary, broadcast on Monday evening, documented multiple instances of inappropriate behaviour spanning several months.

Secret Recordings Capture Staff Conduct

The Panorama team spent four months embedded at the trust's two maternity units — the Queen's Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital — gathering evidence through hidden cameras. Footage showed staff mocking women who requested pain relief and making dismissive comments about patients' weight and appearance. In one exchange captured on tape, a member of staff said: "Don't be too kind, she'll expect you to stay with her."

The investigation also recorded staff laughing about a woman who had experienced a stillbirth, calling her "a bit dramatic" for her distress. A second clip showed workers mocking a patient's accent and making crude jokes about her cultural background. The trust, which handles approximately 10,000 births annually, serves a diverse population across Nottinghamshire and surrounding counties.

Trust Response and Immediate Actions

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed it had dismissed two members of staff following the investigation. A further three employees received formal warnings, while two investigations remain ongoing. Chief Executive Rupert Cormack issued a public apology, stating: "The language and behaviour documented in this programme falls far below the standards we expect of any member of our team. We are truly sorry to the women and families who experienced this."

The trust has since implemented mandatory refresher training for all maternity staff and introduced unannounced monitoring visits to delivery suites. A dedicated helpline has been established for former patients who wish to raise concerns about their care. Trust board members met in an emergency session on Tuesday to discuss the findings and voted to commission an independent review of maternity services.

Previous Concerns at the Trust

The Panorama investigation comes three years after the Care Quality Commission issued a warning notice to the trust following inspections that identified serious safety concerns in its maternity units. At that time, inspectors found that staff failed to properly monitor women's conditions during labour and that some women were left unattended for extended periods. The CQC served a second warning notice in 2022 after follow-up inspections revealed continued problems.

Data from the MBRRACE-UK collaboration, which monitors maternal deaths and serious complications, shows that Nottingham's maternity services recorded higher-than-expected rates of stillbirth and neonatal death between 2020 and 2023. The trust has been designated for the NHS England's Maternity Safety Support Programme, which provides additional resources and oversight to trusts identified as requiring intensive improvement support.

Impact on Patient Trust

For many women who gave birth at Nottingham's hospitals, the Panorama footage confirmed suspicions they had long harboured. Sarah Mitchell, 31, told the BBC she felt "violated" when she recognised practices she had experienced during her son's birth in 2022. "I remember asking for help and being told to wait because the midwife was busy," she said. "Now I understand what was really happening. The staff simply didn't care."

The Patients Association called for an immediate national review of maternity culture, arguing that offensive language reflects deeper systemic failures in how some NHS trusts value women during childbirth. Chief Executive Rachel Power said: "Words matter. When staff feel able to speak about patients this way, it demonstrates a breakdown in professional standards and organisational culture that must be addressed at every level."

Broader NHS Maternity Concerns

The Nottingham revelations follow a series of high-profile failures at NHS maternity services across England. Last year, an independent inquiry into the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust found that preventable errors contributed to the deaths of at least three babies and one mother between 2008 and 2013. A separate review into East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust identified similar patterns of dismissive attitudes toward women from ethnic minority backgrounds.

NHS England's Chief Midwifery Officer, Jacqueline McKernan, acknowledged that the service faces significant challenges in recruiting and retaining experienced midwives. Official figures show the NHS is short of approximately 2,500 midwives across England, a shortfall that unions argue contributes to overworked staff treating patients as burdens rather than individuals deserving of compassion.

What Happens Next

The independent review commissioned by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust is expected to publish its findings within six months. The CQC has confirmed it will conduct a fresh inspection of the trust's maternity services before the end of the current financial year. Families who believe they may have been affected have been urged to contact the trust's dedicated support line, which has received over 200 calls since the Panorama broadcast.

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins will face questions from MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee next week, when she is expected to outline what steps the government intends to take to prevent similar incidents at other NHS trusts. The Department of Health and Social Care has not ruled out placing Nottingham's maternity services under special measures.