The Terms of Reference for the inquiry into the Leeds maternity scandal is a major step in the right direction

The fact that the release of the Terms of Reference for the inquiry into the Leeds maternity scandal has been welcomed by bereaved and harmed families shows it is a major step in the right direction.

The appointment of Donna Ockenden as chair of the inquiry has already given the affected families a lot of confidence in the whole process. There are few people better placed than the highly respected senior midwife to lead the inquiry.

The Terms of Reference provides as wide a scope as possible. The agreed time period covered by the review will allow the full tenures of previous CEOs of Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust to be covered and scrutinised. There should be no stone left unturned.

It is reassuring that a large number of Leeds families have contributed towards shaping the Terms of Reference.

The families affected by the maternity scandal are the most important voices in this inquiry.

Not only is this a matter of getting to the truth for the bereaved families, their campaign is embodied by a sense of altruism. A lot of the affected simply don’t want to see anyone else go through the same pain and suffering that they have had to endure. As such, they deserve praise for getting an inquiry established into Leeds hospitals.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham should make an effort to meet bereaved families in Leeds and take a personal interest in this scandal. It would send a message to all the families affected that this issue is being taken seriously at the highest levels of government. This isn’t just about maternity care in Leeds but care of vulnerable women and newborn babies across the country.