Donna Ockenden FRSA, Hon DLitt Hon DSci

3/3 We will continue to amplify voices, break down barriers & show our support to families & communities across Nottinghamshire.🎗️

We are proud of our engagement with the black community in Nottingham, with regular visits to the Majority Black Led Churches and appearances on Kemet FM.

2/3 Charities and organisations for support:
Mummy’s Star
Breast Cancer Now
Positive about down syndrome

If you are a family in the Review, requiring additional Psychological Support you can reach out to the Family Psychological Support Service.

1/3 This month we honour #BlackHistoryMonth, raise awareness for #DownSyndromeAwareness and support those affected by #BreastCancerAwareness.

We recognise the diverse population of families included in the Review, and want to show our support to those families that may need it at this time.

3/3 Created by big brother Eric Smith, in memory of his little baby brother Owen. Remembering his brother, and all other precious babies who have died. 💜

2/3 This beautiful display is being hosted at St Giles Church, Costock, Nottinghamshire and is open for other families to add a ribbon (located in the church) to the display.

1/3 This baby loss awareness week, a Nottingham family have organised a beautiful ribbon display to support other bereaved families, raise awareness of baby loss and to create a special place to remember those who have experienced a pregnancy or baby loss.

3/3
Any OckReview families that may be finding this week particularly difficult - we would like to remind you that psychological support is available to you. Please either contact our team: nottsreview@donnaockenden.com or the Family Psychological Support Service: enquiries@fpssnottingham.co.uk

2/3 We are showing our support to all bereaved parents, and their families. To show our support, this year we have asked our local council Chichester, where our office is based and Nottingham to light their council building and local landmarks blue and pink in honour of baby loss awareness week.

Today marks the start of Baby Loss Awareness Week 9-15th October. #BLAW is marked across the world.

This week, the Review team will once again honour the lives of all the babies who have died.

We’re delighted to share that @dockendenltd.bsky.social  has joined MAMA Academy as an ambassador! 
For more than three decades, Donna has been a leading voice for safer maternity care in the UK and beyond.

Goodnight #Nottingham, v busy day at the Review: meetings with: families & ICB; for L&I: we met with reps from NUH & NHSE; NICU visit at NUH; & families & NUH. Tmrw:meeting with CEO of NUH; more family meetings before heading back to offices in #chichester : thank you

Goodnight #Nottingham. We arrived yesterday to a day full of family meetings. Today we have met with families; including the GMC; NMC.
Tomorrow we will host more family meetings, meet the ICB, and attend L&l. Here until Thursday, but our office is contactable mon-fri
8am-5pm.

2/2 around 25 years and I will continue to do so until I no longer can🌷

You will always be a parent, and your children will always be remembered. 💜

1/2 Thinking of the many parents and families affected by baby/child loss/death on Bereaved Parents Day. 🕊️

I took this video earlier this year on the way to visiting Baby Kernow (Cornwall’s baby). Baby Kernow is unknown, but I always remember & lay flowers - I have done so for

Thinking of all fathers today 💜

Today may feel difficult for many fathers especially those without their babies & children for any reason - but please know that you are not alone. If you are within Review & need extra support today please contact FPSS. Support can be found on the Review website.

Goodnight #Nottingham, thank you for welcoming us. We are grateful to all families that gave up their Saturday to join us & engage in some v important discussions. Thank you to: families, charities & MPs. Tmrw our senior midwives will be holding family meetings b4 heading home.

Today we held a meeting for all involved in the Notts Maternity Review. We were joined by many families, charities, MPs, & local/regional journalists. Thank you to everyone who attended and we hope to see you all again at the next meeting in September. We read & respond to emails 7 days a week.

Before the Review team & I began our journey to #Nottingham for tomorrow’s Family Meeting, we did a pit stop at #Portsmouth to speak to midwifery students about how they can make a difference to safe maternity care. I trained as a midwife at Portsmouth so it is v special to me 💜

Completely disappointing progress! We are already paying out that £ and more in harm to women & babies. And of course the human & lifelong cost of harm is incalculable. We need to do much more & NOW!

A beautiful day today at Baliffscourt Hotel for a very mini half term break with @phoebeockenden.bsky.social Just walking, chatting & chilling in the most beautiful surroundings. So delighted we made this choice: Its only 8 miles from Chichester so not the usual travel that’s a part of my life ❤️ ❤️

Such a privilege to accompany students from Chichester College to meet @jessbrownfullermp.bsky.social @houseofcommons.parliament.uk All the students have additional needs but they more than rose to the challenge: with significant research about Parliament before the visit. Thank you Jess & team ❤️

A short visit this morning, but so worthwhile. We will be back again the week after next from the 19th May onwards to meet with more families.

Back to London tonight. Hoping to bring some of the beautiful Nottingham sunshine back with me 🌞

Until the next time! See you again soon #nottingham 👋

Thank you to all the many families that we met today, & all of the brilliant conversations that took place. We are always so very grateful for your warm welcome, your insight & how much we learn from you all.

6:30am Saturday start for the Review team! Setting off to #nottingham for some v important family meetings & conversations today but still found time for my 0500 morning meditation & a quick coffee with V & E to keep us going. ☕️ A short day trip, but back in #Notts w/c 19th May

3/3 Multiple tears shed from so many people. Such a powerful reminder of the sacrifices of a generation & so humbling to see some of the newest recruits into the Armed Forces commending the efforts of those who fought for our today & their tomorrows

2/3 Simon Armitage UK’s Poet Laureate wrote & spoke so poignantly about the fragility of #poppies & the responsibility we place upon them to provide hope & symbolise peace. He was accompanied by the Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth.

1/3 Still in awe of attending last night’s commemoration of VE Day in the company of veterans, their families, senior military leadership, and the wonderful team from the historic royal palaces.

Dear Charlotte: I hope everyone who cares about maternity safety will spend 10 mins reading about you & Adam. What happened to you all really matters. So many families in Shropshire are so grateful you ‘keep going’ with your commitment to safe maternity care. Thank you isn’t enough: but thank you

NHSE budget cuts hit maternity, children and prevention Maternity, prevention, mental health and children's services are the national budgets seeing the biggest cuts after government and NHS England decided to slash ringfenced allocations, HSJ analysis rev...

Maternity, prevention, mental health and children’s services are the national budgets seeing the biggest cuts after government and NHS England decided to slash ringfenced allocations, HSJ analysis reveals.
www.hsj.co.uk/finance-and-...

Honoured to have been invited to Jenni Thomas’ book launch of ‘after a child dies’.
I have known Jenni since I was a student midwife & have seen the way she has helped & supported so+ many bereaved families over the years. Thank you for all that you continue to do in supporting bereaved families.