The number of families coming forward with concerns about maternity care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTH) continues to grow, signalling not only a crisis in patient safety but also mounting legal exposure for one of the country's largest NHS Trusts.
Following a BBC investigation earlier this year into the potentially avoidable deaths of 56 babies and two mothers at LTH between 2019 and 2024, a further 47 families have now contacted the broadcaster citing allegations of clinical negligence, traumatic birth experiences, and preventable infant deaths.
At Duncan Lewis Solicitors, we are increasingly instructed in maternity claims of this nature, many of which involve failures to respond to signs of foetal distress, inadequate monitoring, and poor clinical judgment, leading to life-altering injuries or, tragically, death. These are not isolated incidents but reflective of a broader pattern of failure to meet basic clinical standards.
Duty of Care and Systemic Breach
Under the law, healthcare providers owe patients a clear duty of care to act with reasonable skill and competence in diagnosis, treatment, and postnatal support. The cases emerging from LTH suggest this duty has been breached repeatedly. Reviews commissioned by the Trust itself have graded care at the lowest level ("D") in some of the most serious incidents.
One such case is that of Tassie Weaver, who was repeatedly told to stay at home despite having a high-risk pregnancy. By the time she arrived at hospital, her baby son, Baxter, had died. An internal review concluded that her care had not been appropriate, and earlier induction and intervention could have changed the outcome. Her case, harrowing in its detail, is now one of many that legally and ethically underline the argument for independent scrutiny and a full statutory inquiry. It also demonstrates the critical importance of clinical vigilance, proper triaging, and responsive maternity pathways—all of which failed in her care.
Moreover, internal failings appear to have been compounded by a deficient culture of accountability. Whistleblowers, totalling five, have alleged that concerns raised by staff are routinely ignored, contributing to a breakdown in communication and learning. This type of institutional inertia can, in legal terms, support claims of gross negligence and systemic breach of statutory duties, particularly in the face of known safety risks.
Regulatory Response and Future Litigation
While the Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducted unannounced inspections in late 2024 and early 2025 and issued enforcement actions requiring improved staffing levels, the full report on its findings is still pending. The Trust has since been placed under NHS England's Maternity Safety Support Programme (MSSP), a step typically reserved for services facing serious performance issues.
For families affected, these actions may come too late. A growing number are calling for an independent statutory inquiry, echoing those already commissioned in Nottingham and Shrewsbury.
As legal representatives of many families affected by poor maternity care across the UK, we stress the importance of timely legal advice. Patients who suffer clinical negligence have a three-year limitation period from the date of the incident (or knowledge of harm) to bring a claim although early legal intervention can preserve evidence and strengthen the case.
Where systemic failures are evident, claimants may also consider broader Article 2 ECHR arguments (right to life), particularly in fatal cases involving state institutions.
This is not just a story of individual loss, it is one of institutional failure, avoidable harm, and a healthcare culture that, for too long, has failed to listen. The legal system offers one route to justice, but lasting change requires action at every level, from policy to practice.
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