Health

Concerns Raised Over Maternity Care Culture at Nottingham Hospital Unit

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The midwife's notes were short and to the point. The three letters - "FOH" - that she had written on a whiteboard next to names of heavily pregnant women were not there to alert colleagues to women having a specific medical condition or requiring a certain type of care. Instead, they were an acronym for a three-word offensive statement signalling they wanted the women to leave the maternity unit run by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH). The "F", a swear word. The "O", standing for "OFF". The "H", short for "HOME". The acronym was described in a 2018 resignation letter from another member of staff, now seen by BBC Panorama, raising concerns about attitudes within the unit. In the same letter, another midwife was reported to have advised colleagues to get pregnant women, who had arrived worried they were going into labour, to go home with the advice: "Don't be too kind, she'll keep coming back." The Nottingham trust is currently at the centre of the largest maternity inquiry in the history of the NHS - looking at care provided to about 2,500 families between 2012 and 2025. The inquiry has been investigating stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal deaths, and injured babies and mothers at NUH, which runs City Hospital and Queen's Medical Centre.

A midwife reportedly used the letters FOH on a whiteboard next to the names of pregnant women. The acronym was not medical.

The breakdown of the acronym was:
• F represented a swear word
• O stood for off
• H meant home


Concerns Over Staff Attitudes

The resignation letter also described another troubling comment from a midwife. These claims suggest a pattern of dismissive attitudes toward women seeking urgent maternity support.
Wider Investigation Into Maternity Care

The maternity unit is now part of a major national investigation into care provided between 2012 and 2025.

The inquiry is examining cases involving:
• Stillbirths
• Neonatal deaths
• Maternal deaths
• Injuries to mothers and babies

She has stated that there were concerns about a belief within the unit that it operated at a higher standard than other healthcare services.

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Previous Article Overview of Leaked Messages The UK government has released more than one thousand pages of documents linked to the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the United States. The papers include private exchanges between Lord Mandelson and senior ministers. These messages cover policy discussion, political advice, and sharp views on the leadership and operations inside government. Criticism of Downing Street Operations In messages sent in May 2025, Lord Mandelson told then Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden that he felt leadership inside government lacked energy and direction. He said Keir Starmer appeared to lack drive, and he also included similar criticism of the wider Cabinet. Later messages suggest Mandelson believed No 10 staff were not working in a coordinated way. He argued that advisers were capable but not operating as a unified team. He also said they did not clearly understand the prime minister’s priorities. He added that the centre of government felt under strain and needed a major reset to improve confidence and performance. Views on Leadership Direction In further exchanges during July 2025, Mandelson suggested that policy decisions showed inconsistency. He pointed to changes in positions on immigration, welfare, and Gaza as examples. He described what he saw as shifting strategy, saying there was a pattern of moving forward and then stepping back on key decisions. He also said there was a growing approach of allowing the prime minister to lead more freely, which he interpreted as a change in internal control. Concerns Raised About Political Discussions Messages from Pat McFadden also included comments about internal political conversations. He described repeated discussions about tax choices and welfare spending. He suggested that some debates were focused more on funding outcomes than broader policy design. Supporters of McFadden later clarified that these remarks were made before he took responsibility for the benefits system, while he was working in the Cabinet Office. A spokesperson for the Work and Pensions Secretary said all requested messages were fully provided under official requirements. Conclusion The released documents show private political conversations at senior levels of government. They highlight internal concerns about coordination, leadership style, and policy direction. The exchanges also show differing views among ministers about how government decisions are being made and communicated. Leaked Messages Show Internal Labour Tensions Over Leadership and Downing Street Operation
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