Maternity care at Sussex NHS trust comes under serious scrutiny
A joint investigation undertaken by BBC News and the New Statesman has intensified concerns over maternity care at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, which is already facing an independent inquiry into its maternity services.
In an article published on 12 February 2026, the two news outlets summarise findings based on Freedom of Information requests made by Truth for Our Babies, a group of bereaved parents who have bravely joined together to share their experiences of maternity care at the Sussex trust and to raise awareness of the poor standards.
University Hospitals Sussex was one of ten NHS trusts identified by Health Secretary Wes Streeting in June 2025 as requiring urgent review. This decision followed an unannounced two‑day Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection of the Royal Sussex County Hospital’s A&E and maternity departments in February 2025.
At the time of the health secretary’s announcement, maternity negligence specialists at Penningtons Manches Cooper noted that maternity care in Sussex was already under heightened scrutiny following a series of inspections, whistleblowing reports, and mounting concerns about patient safety.
The 2026 BBC News/New Statesman investigation reveals that between 2019 and 2023, the trust carried out 227 internal reviews into maternity deaths. In at least 55 cases, there was a finding that different care ‘may’ or was ‘likely’ to have made a difference to the outcome.
The two news outlets also report that the trust paid out £103.8 million for errors in maternity care between 2021 and 2025, including £34.3 million in 2024/25 alone, the highest figure in England during that period. Despite these findings, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust maintains that its mortality rates over the past three years sit below national averages, arguing that larger trusts naturally attract higher claim volumes.
Emma Beeson, senior associate in Penningtons Manches Cooper’s medical negligence team and head of the maternal injury team, comments: “The findings from this joint investigation are incredibly worrying. Most troubling of all is the concern raised by members of the Truth for Our Babies group that there may be cases where some bereaved parents do not realise that, but for failures in the medical care provided, their babies may have survived.
“It is very rare that any doctor, midwife or clinician sets out to cause harm, but problems are compounded when there has been a failure to be open and honest with families about the mistakes that may have occurred. Without this recognition and openness, change cannot happen and, by change, I mean real fundamental and systemic change that feeds through at all levels.”
Penningtons Manches Cooper regularly supports families affected by substandard maternity care and offers guidance to those considering legal action. If you or a loved one have concerns regarding recent maternity care, our specialist maternity negligence claims team is available to discuss these without charge and on a no obligation basis.
Please contact us on freephone 0800 328 9545, email clinnegspecialist@penningtonslaw.com or complete our online assessment form.