Trust apologises for ‘human error’ after maternity data loss

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has apologised after a human error caused 11 years of maternity data to be overwritten.

The incident happened during routine technical work on 18 August, when computer instructions intended to create a copy of a radiotherapy database were mistakenly applied to the maternity database.

Most of the affected information has since been recovered, including notes, observations, test results and other information recorded as part of patient care.

However, the trust has been unable to fully restore the historical record showing who viewed maternity records between September 2011 and November 2022.

Current data was not affected and the incident has had no impact on current maternity services or care provided to women and babies, according to the trust.

It also said no information was accessed or used inappropriately as a result of the incident.

Andy Callow, chief digital and information officer at Nottingham University Hospitals, said: “I am sorry for the concern and distress this incident may cause to women and families affected.

“On 18 August 2026, a human error during a routine technical process resulted in a maternity records database being unintentionally overwritten.

“We took immediate action to investigate the incident and recover the affected information.

“The information needed to support patient care has been restored and there has been no impact on current maternity services or the care provided to women and babies today.

“However, to date, we have been unable to fully restore the historical record showing who viewed maternity records between September 2011 and November 2022.

“We have informed the Information Commissioner’s Office, completed a full investigation and strengthened our processes and controls to help prevent a similar incident from happening again.”

The error occurred when pre-written computer instructions previously used for another hospital system were used during the technical work.

A setting that should have been changed was not altered, resulting in work being carried out on the maternity database instead of the radiotherapy database.

The issue was escalated within minutes of being identified and experts were brought in to recover as much information as possible.

The trust has referred the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office and notified Nottinghamshire Police, which is conducting a separate criminal investigation into maternity care at the trust.

The force is assessing whether the loss of information about who accessed maternity records could affect that investigation.

The incident follows a maternity review led by midwife Donna Ockenden, which concluded in June after examining the cases of 2,500 families over a 20-year period.

The review found more than 500 mothers and babies suffered potentially avoidable harm, with 162 dying following substandard care. Some babies who survived were left seriously disabled.

Nottinghamshire Police announced its separate criminal investigation, Operation Perth, in September 2023.