Where the Ockenden report goes wrong: let us keep calm and follow the evidence

The Ockenden report is a shocking read. Families were let down by maternity services resulting in avoidable deaths of women and babies. These tragic events cannot be reversed, but if we are to prevent them from happening again, we must have a clear picture of what went wrong. As researchers from outside the United Kingdom, we were surprised to read some of the recommendations in the report and particularly disappointed by the interpretation of the report in the media. These recommendations and the media reaction may, in fact, aggravate the very problems they are meant to allay.