A doctor at a scandal-hit hospital trust branded the bereaved parents of a stillborn baby liars before securing another senior NHS position. Sarah and Jack Hawkins received a £2.8 million settlement after their daughter Harriet died in the womb following maternity staff mistakes in 2016. Prior to the payout, a consultant appeared to attack the couple's campaign for justice, writing in an email to a colleague: "Is there anything at all that can be done about the lies?"
Consultant's email to colleague
Dr Lucy Kean, then Chair of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology clinical service unit at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH), later obtained a top NHS job elsewhere. Mrs and Mr Hawkins told the Mirror: "We believe Lucy Kean has to be held accountable." A July document lists Dr Kean among consultant medical staff at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's maternity service, noting she is a fetal medicine subspecialist. Dr Kean is understood to have been working at NUH as recently as last year.
Parents' reaction to emails
Mrs and Mr Hawkins – who used to work at the Trust as a physiotherapist and doctor – said: "We first met Lucy Kean in July 2016, three months after Harriet's avoidable death while being born. Our hearts and minds were shattered trying to understand how our perfectly healthy full term baby died during a six day labour. As two senior clinicians at the Trust at the time we expected this meeting with Lucy Kean, Head of Service, to be a pivotal moment for patient safety, not only for Harriet but for the Nottinghamshire community. Instead we left shocked, scared and knowing that we would have to fight hard to get answers and justice for our daughter…"
They added: "Years later, having to read Lucy Kean's emails about us was a moment we will never forget. The pain was visceral but the sense of relief was immense - we had confirmation after all those years of the horrible blame and shame rotten culture at NUH. The sadness was and will always stay with us - how can a clinician in a so-called caring profession talk about two avoidably bereaved parents in such an appalling manner? Our overriding feeling is of deep anger and confusion."
Emails released after subject access request
The Hawkinses received their multi-million pound settlement in 2021 after taking legal action against NUH. Initially, the Trust attributed Harriet's death to an infection. But in January 2018 an external review discovered 13 failures, concluding Harriet's death was "almost certainly preventable". Internal NUH emails seen by the Mirror – released to the family after a subject access request – reveal how only months before staff appeared resistant to accepting fault as the Trust scrambled to deal with the crisis. On October 5, 2017, Dr Kean wrote to the then director of comms Laura Skaife-Knight: "Is there anything at all that can be done about the lies?"
This came after Ms Skaife-Knight — now Grampian NHS Trust CEO — sent emails to senior staff, including Dr Kean, highlighting broadcast media interest in relation to Harriet's death, as well as Mirror coverage of Sarah and Jack's comments. The Mirror's story reported the Hawkinses had called for the law to change so that coroners were obliged to investigate all deaths during childbirth. It also detailed how the Trust had apologised to them.
Trust responses
Ms Skaife-Knight replied to Dr Kean detailing the trust was "preparing a range of comms ahead of tomorrow's further media interest (when Jack will do interviews)". She said a helpline would be set up "if this is necessary tomorrow" and that "We will listen carefully to Jack's interviews tomorrow and assess from there any further necessary actions". The day before, on 4 October, Dr Kean wrote to Ms Skaife-Knight in reference to the Hawkinses' solicitors' press release entitled "Another baby that should have been born alive". She said: "This press release is full of untruths. There may be little mileage in stating this, but I am keen to protect staff where I can. What can be done with regard to this?" A further email from Dr Kean the same day shows she requested a statement from the then CEO be changed to strengthen the defence of maternity services.
It is understood that, following an investigation into the language used in the emails, Dr Kean was sanctioned by NUH. Asked about the sanction, the Trust did not comment. NUH Medical Director Dr Manjeet Shehmar said: "We are truly sorry for the failings in care that contributed to the tragic death of Harriet, and for the unacceptable harm and distress that Sarah and Jack have had to endure since. Where concerns are raised with us about professional practice or standards, we have clear and established processes for managing this, including working with regulatory bodies if needed. We will always take appropriate action if wrongdoing has been found."
Rob Simcox, Chief People Officer at Sherwood, said: "We cannot comment on individual employment matters. The Trust follows robust and fair HR and recruitment processes, which are applied appropriately and consistently." Ms Skaife-Knight said: "Nothing can diminish the profound tragedy of Harriet's death or the devastating impact it has had on Sarah and Jack. I am deeply sorry for their loss and for the distress they have endured. At the time, I shared the content of the emails with the most senior colleagues at the Trust. Patient safety must always come first, and families who raise concerns must be listened to, treated with compassion and responded to openly. These are responsibilities I take very seriously and principles that continue to guide me as a Chief Executive today."
