Loss of knowledge in relation to inquiry at NHS consider perhaps planned, say police

A lacking knowledge report containing the main points of masses of maternity instances was once perhaps deleted “intentionally or maliciously”, a police investigation has concluded.

Nottinghamshire police started an investigation in February into the transient lack of the pc report at Nottingham college hospitals (NUH) NHS consider.

The consider is on the centre of the biggest maternity inquiry within the historical past of the NHS, analyzing deaths and hurt spanning greater than a decade on the Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham town medical institution.

The police drive’s cyber staff stated the deletion was once “most likely to be the action of an individual” however the loss “was not caused or contributed to by any systemic corruption within NUH”.

A letter to households concerned within the inquiry, observed through the BBC, from assistant leader constable Rob Griffin, stated the deletion was once “most likely to have been done intentionally/maliciously rather than accidentally”.

Police stated the id of the offender may no longer be decided.

The consider up to now stated the pc report went lacking in July 2024 for a couple of days. It was once recovered after its deletion was once noticed through the consider and ended in about 300 extra instances being added to the maternity inquiry.

Nearly 2,500 instances are being tested through the senior midwife, Donna Ockenden, and a countrywide staff of main docs and midwives, whose evaluate is because of conclude in summer season 2026.

A observation from the Nottingham Affected Families Group stated: “Nottingham families would like to thank the police for their determined investigation. We are distressed that they were unable to find who did this.

“We are appalled to hear this news, though sadly we are not surprised … To know that there is most likely an individual who is capable of such behaviour is devastating for the already harmed and for the future of NUH safety.

“We call for openness at this worrying time and for the individual, their colleagues or anyone who knows anything about this to come forward as a matter of urgency. This is a patient safety emergency.”

Anthony May, leader govt of NUH, stated: “I would like to thank Nottinghamshire police for their support in investigating this matter and we accept their findings. Upon discovering the issue, the trust informed Nottinghamshire police and engaged fully in the investigation.

“We have put appropriate measures in place to secure digital files so that this cannot happen again.”

Last week, Nottinghamshire police stated they have been investigating imaginable company manslaughter on the consider over the deaths and serious hurt of greater than 2,000 small children and girls.

Det Supt Matthew Croome stated on the time that the alleged offences associated with “circumstances where an organisation has been grossly negligent in the management of its activities, which has then led to a person’s death”.