Thirlwall Inquiry

All cots and incubators in all neonatal units should be fitted with baby monitors (in-cot cameras with livestreaming video), so that parents can observe their baby remotely at any time. The funding for this should be centrally managed and ring-fenced, to ensure consistency and implementation across all neonatal units at speed. By 31 March 2027, NHS England should set out a roadmap for how this will be implemented.

In September 2026, Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, and Sarah-Jane Marsh, NHS England Chief Operating Officer, stated that the organisation will "develop a national approach to support neonatal units to implement this", drawing on learning from places where monitors are already used (Duncan Burton; Sarah-Jane Marsh, Sep 2026). This followed an oral statement earlier that month by Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, who accepted the recommendation and directed officials to urgently develop plans for cot cameras (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026).

i. Digital devices should be used to restrict access of insulin to authorised people and record access to insulin storage units. I acknowledge that steps are being taken to achieve this. By 31 March 2027, all neonatal units must meet the expected requirements for access control and storage of insulin set out in the NHS England Getting It Right First Time guide, GIRFT Neonatology: Guide to safe insulin use. ii. Until access to insulin requires the provision of biometric data, each Trust should install CCTV cameras focused on storage fridges, cupboards or units. The cameras should store recordings for at least 28 days. iii. The GIRFT Laboratory Handling of Insulin Requests in the Investigation of Hypoglycaemia guidance for the testing and reporting of insulin and C-peptide results, issued in October 2025, must be made mandatory and of national application.

In September 2026, the Department of Health and Social Care accepted the recommendation, with the Secretary of State, Yvette Cooper, stating that the government agreed to introduce stronger controls on insulin storage while beginning work on safe storage guidance (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026; Department of Health and Social Care, Sep 2026). Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, and Sarah-Jane Marsh, NHS England Chief Operating Officer, instructed trusts that same month to urgently install CCTV monitoring insulin storage by 30 November 2026 until biometric access is in place (Duncan Burton; Sarah-Jane Marsh, Sep 2026). Under their directive, all neonatal units must meet required access control and storage standards by 31 March 2027 (Duncan Burton; Sarah-Jane Marsh, Sep 2026).

The National Bereavement Care Pathway for neonatal death should be implemented nationally and in all Trusts by 31 August 2027.

Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, stated in September 2026 that all NHS trusts are signed up to implement the National Bereavement Care Pathway for neonatal death by 2027, with the department confirming that rollout is in progress (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026; Department of Health and Social Care, Sep 2026). In a letter published that month, Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, and Sarah-Jane Marsh, NHS England Chief Operating Officer, found that integrated care boards and providers should take immediate action to improve care of the bereaved (Duncan Burton; Sarah-Jane Marsh, Sep 2026).

i. All Trusts must provide safeguarding training to all staff (appropriate to their role and expertise) and Board members, including Non-Executive Directors. This training should include how to deal with concerns and suspicions about deliberate harm caused by staff. ii. By March 2027, every existing contract of employment for work in an NHS hospital must be amended to include an obligation on the employee to follow all relevant safeguarding guidance, including the Suspicion of Deliberate Harm Protocol (at Recommendation 9), for dealing with concerns and suspicions about deliberate harm. Agency and bank staff contracts and all new contracts of employment must include the same obligation.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Yvette Cooper, stated in September 2026 that the recommendation was under consideration, noting that an urgent review of the NHS safeguarding framework and training had been requested (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). In the same month, Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, and Sarah-Jane Marsh, NHS England Chief Operating Officer, directed trusts and integrated care boards to ensure staff and board members comply with safeguarding training requirements and understand how to escalate concerns (Duncan Burton; Sarah-Jane Marsh, Sep 2026).

NHS England must provide, by 31 March 2027, a clear and timed route to ensuring that computer systems are harmonised across the NHS by December 2028. Work on the development of a mandatory information standard with requirements for interoperability between systems should be taken forward and implemented as soon as possible. This should mean that data relating to babies and neonates in hospital may be entered on a single occasion, be reviewed in a timely manner and facilitate continuous monitoring.1

In an oral statement to the House of Commons in September 2026, Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, stated that the government had implemented the maternity outcome signal system to provide near real-time safety alerts and acknowledged regarding technology recommendations that "we must do more" (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). The record holds no update since the Department of Health and Social Care's response of September 2026 (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026).

i. By 31 March 2027, all hospital Trusts must have in place effective mechanisms for Board- level monitoring of all deaths of children and babies. ii. By 31 March 2027, all hospital Trusts must have in place a clear and predetermined route to senior management for the escalation of concerning data trends or patterns.

The Inquiry asked National Health Service (NHS) hospital trusts to monitor child deaths. In an oral statement in September 2026, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care said the government "will, of course, consider the entire report and set out a full response" (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). The Minister quoted the Inquiry's finding that the Countess of Chester Hospital board received no reports on infant deaths, but board-level monitoring and escalation routes across trusts are not mentioned in the statement (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of September 2026 (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026).

i. All hospitals with a neonatal unit should name a ‘lead reporter’ with responsibility for inputting data regularly (at least weekly) and reviewing real-time data viewers on neonatal and maternity units in the MBRRACE system. Whilst the lead reporter does not necessarily need to be a clinician, they must be trained to understand and interpret the available data and able to explain and discuss it with clinicians. ii. Save where data requires immediate action, in which case a report should be made to the Medical Director and the Board immediately, the lead reporter should report to Trust Boards at least every six months and advise: a. whether any alerts or a need for investigation have arisen b. the investigation or action plan in place.

In an oral statement to the House of Commons in September 2026, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Yvette Cooper, stated that the government has implemented the maternity outcome signal system to provide near real-time safety alerts, but agreed regarding technology recommendations that "we must do more" (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). The record holds no update since the department's response of September 2026 (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026).

i. NHS England must: a. Immediately inform all Trusts with a neonatal unit that the SUDIC process applies to the sudden and unexpected deaths of babies who have never left hospital. b. Direct all Trusts that they must, within seven days, draw this information to the attention of all relevant staff and the Board. ii. DHSC must complete its review and revision of the SUDIC guidelines and ensure the revised guidelines are distributed to all Trusts by no later than 31 March 2027. The guidelines must include a clear statement that SUDIC applies to sudden and unexpected deaths of babies who have never left hospital. iii. SUDIC forms must be redesigned and shortened to keep bureaucracy to a minimum. The focus should be on what it is essential to know.

In September 2026, Duncan Burton and Sarah-Jane Marsh of NHS England instructed all trusts with a neonatal unit to communicate to relevant staff and their boards by 28 September 2026 that the SUDIC protocol applies to unexpected deaths within those units (Duncan Burton; Sarah-Jane Marsh, Sep 2026). In September 2026, Yvette Cooper confirmed that reviewing and updating the sudden unexpected death in infancy and childhood guidance was "now underway" (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026).

Protocol i. By 31 March 2027, NHS England must produce and distribute a one-page protocol setting out the steps to be taken by managers when concerns or suspicions are raised that a healthcare professional may have deliberately harmed a patient. The Suspicion of Deliberate Harm Protocol must make explicit that: a. It is irrelevant whether the person to whom the concerns have been expressed does or does not believe they are true, as is the fact that the person raising the concern is not sure. b. Where concerns or suspicions of deliberate harm are being raised in good faith, they must be acted upon immediately. c. Only in cases where the concerns are obviously irrational or malicious (which assessment must be recorded) will no further action be justified. d. Pending investigation of a member of staff, action to protect patients by moving the person suspected of causing harm is likely to be the first step. e. The moving of a person suspected of causing harm and the investigation into suspicions and concerns about a member of staff is a neutral act. f. Safeguarding steps must be followed, as a result of which the police will become involved. Guidance ii. Guidance of no more than two pages should accompany the protocol. It must set out the factors to be considered when assessing the nature of the concerns and suspicions. The reader should be directed to guard against their own biases, loyalties and prejudices. The guidance should explain what should be said and when to those who are or who may be involved with any investigation (such as patients, parents and staff). This must include that patient safety comes first, and investigation is required. The guidance should also explain that failure to follow the protocol will be a breach of contract by an employee, as well as a breach of the relevant code of conduct. Implementation iii. Trusts must embed the Suspicion of Deliberate Harm Protocol and guidance within their hospital.

In September 2026, Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, addressed safeguarding recommendations including a new protocol, stating that she had asked the Chief Nursing Officer to urgently review the NHS safeguarding framework and training (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). The Minister noted that although a revised safeguarding framework was published in April 2026, further urgent examination was required in light of the report (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). The record holds no update since the Department of Health and Social Care's response of September 2026 (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026).

Serious consideration should be given by DHSC to the setting up of a panel of independent experts from all specialties to be called upon in situations where there are emerging concerns about an individual and harm to a patient or patients. A team from any specialty or combination of specialties would be drawn from the panel to conduct a swift, technical investigation into the concerns raised. This may most often be necessary where there are concerns that harm is being or has been caused inadvertently. The precise make-up of the panel should be determined by DHSC but could include, for example: a. two doctors and two nurses from each clinical specialty b. four senior managers c. four pathologists including paediatric and perinatal pathologists d. other experts as decided by DHSC. Where necessary, a small team (always including clinicians from the relevant specialty/ specialties) would be drawn from the panel to carry out an independent investigation into clinical concerns. Such investigations should always include safeguarding considerations (including contacting the police). In addition to reporting their findings to the Trust and DHSC, the experts would be available to be called as witnesses in any proceedings that may follow.2

The Inquiry asked health ministers to consider creating an expert panel on clinical harm. In an oral statement in September 2026, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care said that the government "will, of course, consider the entire report and set out a full response" (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). Made on the day the inquiry report was published, the statement named neither this recommendation nor the proposed panel of independent experts (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of September 2026 (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026).

i. The National Medical Examiner should, by 31 March 2027, prepare and distribute a one-page document setting out all the steps to be taken by a medical examiner when dealing with the death of a neonate. ii. The revised SUDIC guidelines (see Recommendation 8 above) should be set out within the good practice guidelines for medical examiners, not merely signposted. iii. Medical examiners should ask direct questions of the attending practitioner as to whether there is a concern that a child has been harmed or some other safeguarding concern. Where there may be such a concern, the medical examiner should ensure that there is a record made that day of the contact details of every doctor or nurse who attended to the baby during life. iv. There should be a pool of neonatologists who can assist medical examiners with their work until such time as it is possible to appoint the appropriate number of regional neonatologist medical examiners. Ring-fenced funding should be provided for this purpose. v. The medical examiner system should be reviewed again in 2027 by DHSC. The review should include the adequacy of funding for medical examiners and their support staff and offices. In particular, the question of whether the funding should be ring-fenced must be addressed. Thereafter, reviews should be as directed by DHSC and NHS England.

In September 2026, the Department of Health and Social Care stated that it had begun work on "strengthened guidance for medical examiners reviewing neonatal deaths" while considering the inquiry's recommendations in full (Department of Health and Social Care, Sep 2026). In an oral statement that same month, Yvette Cooper, the Secretary of State, confirmed that the government would set out further plans to strengthen neonatal expertise when publishing its full response (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). The record holds no update since the department's response of September 2026 (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026).

DHSC and NHS England must ensure that, by June 2033, there are 37 doctors in training posts as paediatric and perinatal pathologists, in line with the workforce requirement set out by the Royal College of Pathologists in the November 2025 Paediatric and Perinatal Pathology Workforce Report. The incentive scheme should remain in place and funded until at least 37 doctors are in training posts as paediatric and perinatal pathologists.

The Inquiry asked health authorities to fund 37 paediatric and perinatal pathology training posts. In an oral statement in September 2026, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care stated that the government "will, of course, consider the entire report and set out a full response" (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). Neither the required training posts nor the continuation of the incentive scheme are mentioned in the sources (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). A full response from the department remains to be set out (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of September 2026 (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026).

i. DHSC and NHS England must develop and put in place a barring system for all managers (clinical and non-clinical) by September 2027. It should be reviewed in 2030 with a view to moving to a full statutory regulation system by September 2032. ii. NHS England must require any Trust seeking approval for the movement of a senior manager to another Trust to demonstrate that: a. The move is not proposed because of the manager’s lack of capability or misconduct. b. The manager meets the fit and proper person test. NHS England must not grant approval, and Trusts must not seek approval, unless they are able to demonstrate the matters at a. and b. above. iii. In addition to the statutory duty for organisations, all managers must be subject to an individual duty of candour to all patients and colleagues. This should be included in the code of conduct and in the contract of employment for all managers. iv. The NHS Leadership and Management Framework Code, a code of conduct for NHS managers published in July 2026, must be amended urgently to set out, at the beginning, the uncontroversial duty of every manager to put patients first. I suggest the following wording, with thanks to Mr Jarrold: ‘I will make the care and safety of patients my first concern and act to protect them from risk.’ What matters is that patients come first. v. In the Leadership and Management Framework Standards, the competency ‘delivering across healthcare’ should be first (it is currently third). The first and fundamental competency under this heading is, rightly: “I put patients first and report safety concerns and incidents.”

In September 2026, the Department of Health and Social Care stated that plans to regulate managers through a barring scheme for senior leaders were in progress (Department of Health and Social Care, Sep 2026). In an oral statement to the House of Commons that month, Secretary of State Yvette Cooper confirmed that the government would legislate to introduce the scheme "as soon as Parliamentary time allows" and consider expanding it further (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). The record holds no update since the department's response of September 2026 (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026).

i. CQC should conduct without-notice inspections of hospital departments. Inspection teams should include at least two current practising experts in the relevant field (in this case paediatrics/neonatology). ii. Inspectors should investigate what is happening in hospital departments and not accept what they are told at face value. Where processes are being inspected, questions must be asked to elicit the effectiveness of those processes.3 iii. Training should make explicit that CQC is responsible for ensuring the safety of patients in hospitals and not just for checking there are processes in place which, if implemented, should ensure patient safety. Inspectors and team leaders must always approach an inspection of neonatal services not as a box-ticking exercise but as a way to determine that babies in hospital are safe.

In September 2026, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Yvette Cooper, stated to the House of Commons that the government would ensure recommendations for regulators, including the Care Quality Commission, are "taken seriously", adding that while the maternity outcome signal system had been implemented, it agreed more must be done (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). The record holds no update since the department's response of September 2026 (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026).

There must be a rigorous and consistent review and assessment of the performance of CQC by the Health and Social Care Committee, initially once a year and, once the committee is satisfied, once every three years, or such other frequency to be determined by the select committee.

The Inquiry recommended regular parliamentary reviews of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). In an oral statement in September 2026 on the day the Inquiry report was published, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care noted that the report makes recommendations for regulators, including CQC (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). Addressing further action, the Minister stated that the government "will, of course, consider the entire report and set out a full response" (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of September 2026 (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026).

The functions of the National Guardian’s Office should be taken over by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman in England. The Ombudsman’s powers must be increased to include: a. investigating complaints that whistleblowing in the NHS has not been dealt with adequately b. assisting whistleblowers by referring their concerns to the relevant NHS bodies and overseeing the response.

The Inquiry asked the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to take over whistleblowing oversight functions. In September 2026, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care stated that the government "will, of course, consider the entire report and set out a full response" (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). The Minister gave this oral statement on the day the report was published, naming neither this recommendation nor the Ombudsman or the National Guardian's Office (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of September 2026 (Department of Health and Social Care response, Sep 2026).

A new responsibility for auditing the implementation of the recommendations of statutory inquiries into NHS bodies should be given to the National Audit Office. Funding for appropriate additional staffing should be made available so that it may begin its work by September 2027.

The Inquiry recommended that the National Audit Office audit recommendations from statutory health inquiries. In September 2026, Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, stated that her department is setting up a recommendation hub to track progress internally across the National Health Service (NHS) (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). She stated that the department will work with the Cabinet Office on improvements in this area to respond to the inquiry (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026). The record holds nothing dated later than the response of September 2026 (Yvette Cooper response, Sep 2026).