Stewarts’ Medical Negligence lawyers have extensive experience supporting clients across a wide range of NHS‑related birth injury claims, including cases involving maternity services in Leeds. Our leading Leeds team has an established record of successful outcomes and offer deep expertise in the sensitive, nuanced and complex issues these cases often present.

Maternity services are finally now receiving the much-needed attention that families have been seeking for many years. Baroness Valerie Amos’ February 2026 interim report underlines the extent of the problems with poor standards of care and a lack of transparency and accountability when things go wrong in maternity units. The extent of repeated failures in Leeds, including the tragic death of over 50 babies, led to the Health Secretary (Wes Streeting) starting an independent inquiry.

The fact that two large NHS hospitals (Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital) now require urgent reviews looking back at what appears to be close to a decade and a half of care, raises the question of why Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has not been providing clear and accountable services to date. Furthermore, it calls into question whether improvements could have been made well before now had stringent performance monitoring been in place. If they had, the harm, loss and devastation many of the families experienced while receiving maternity care could potentially have been avoided.

It is hoped that this urgent review of Leeds’ maternity care services will ensure all issues are fully investigated and addressed. However, this recent announcement may fuel concerns raised by other families, who may now call into question the standard of maternity care they received at either of these Leeds hospitals. Stewarts recognise the importance of this local inquiry and are very keen to help families affected by it.