The senior midwife leading the largest ever investigation into NHS maternity failures is charging the health service up to £26,000 a month for her advisory services, it has been revealed.
High-Cost Review for Critical Failings
Donna Ockenden, who chairs the independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, receives an £850 daily rate for every 7.5 hours worked. This arrangement, conducted through her company Donna Ockenden Ltd, began in January 2024 after she was moved off the NHS England payroll.
When questioned about monthly invoices reaching £26,000 for her advice, Ockenden stated she is "working long hours" on the review. She anticipates dedicating the vast majority of her time to the inquiry until its publication, scheduled for June 2026.
Total Costs Exceed £300,000 Monthly
The monthly charges for her independent advice are separate from the wider costs of the inquiry billed to NHS England. When expenses for the clinical review team, administration, transcription, insurance, office space, and HR services are included, the total monthly invoices from her company can surpass £300,000.
Ockenden explained that a profit element is applied to clinical and administration services to cover miscellaneous costs not included in the NHS England agreement. Her daily fee was increased by £100 (13%) as part of a new supply agreement, rising from £750 to £850.
Operating via a limited company can offer tax advantages by structuring income through salary and dividends. Ockenden defended the arrangement, stating: "The current contractual arrangement provides value to the taxpayer, and involves my running every aspect of the review."
Context of Nationwide Maternity Scrutiny
Ockenden's daily fee is higher than the UK's weekly median wage of £766.60, highlighting the significant costs associated with a series of recent maternity service reviews across the NHS. Despite numerous investigations since 2015, a separate probe by Baroness Amos noted England is "still struggling to provide safe, reliable maternity and neonatal care everywhere in the country."
Ockenden, praised for her previous work in Shrewsbury and Telford, had expressed willingness to lead additional reviews in Leeds and Sussex. However, Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed she would not head the Leeds inquiry due to her existing commitments, stating: "If I could clone her, I would."
An NHS England spokesperson said the contractual agreement ensures the review meets its terms of reference for families, adding: "Women and families deserve answers and improved maternity services in Nottingham." The final report's publication by June 2026 is seen as a critical step towards that goal.
