I am writing to you, as you may have seen the recent BBC news report about our maternity and neonatal services.
We are deeply sorry that some families were let down by the maternity care they have received at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, and we offer our condolences to those who have lost loved ones.
Every year, we are privileged to support around 8,500 families through one of life’s most important moments, and we are fully committed to ensuring that every family receives safe, respectful and compassionate care. We are listening to the voices of our families and our staff, and we recognise we need to make improvements.
Since the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in December 2024, we have taken clear steps to make real and lasting changes, with support from NHS England and the CQC. We have also commissioned an independent external review to complement NHS England’s Peer Quality Review of our neonatal services, so that we can better understand the data on neonatal outcomes.
We are investing in our workforce, focusing on consistently safe staffing levels, and strengthening our culture to prioritise openness, compassion and respect. Recognising and responding to the moments that matter to our patients is essential to building the maternity service that all our families deserve.
We welcome people sharing their experiences with us, which can be done through our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). Your voice matters to us, and we are here to listen and take action.
We are waiting to receive the final CQC reports on our maternity and neonatal services and will be open and transparent in sharing further information on future improvement plans with our patients and staff.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Magnus Harrison
Chief Medical Officer
18 June 2025