Desert Island Discs

Donna Ockenden is a former clinical midwife who led the Ockenden Review which revealed, at the time, the biggest maternity scandal in NHS history. Published in 2022, the review highlighted serious failings in maternity care at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust which contributed to the deaths of more than 200 babies and nine mothers.

Donna grew up in the village of Aberaman in the Welsh Valleys. She experienced a complicated childhood which included a period living in a homeless shelter along with her mother and four siblings. She is also a survivor of sexual abuse and believes her background helped her develop a tenacity and determination which she went on to apply to her work.

She completed her nursing training in Swansea and Neath and trained as a midwife at the Portsmouth School of Midwifery. In 2015 she became Senior Midwifery Adviser to the Chief Executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

In May 2022 she was appointed chair of the independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust which will be published next year. It is already the largest investigation into a single service in the NHS, hearing evidence from over 2,000 families so far.

Donna lives in Chichester with her two cats.

Details of organisations offering information and support with child sexual abuse or child bereavement are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

DISC ONE: We’ve Only Just Begun – The Carpenters
DISC TWO: Bye Bye Baby – Bay City Rollers
DISC THREE: Ukulele Lady – Ethel Merman
DISC FOUR: Isn’t It Amazing – Hothouse Flowers
DISC FIVE: If Only – Hazel O’Connor
DISC SIX: I Can See Clearly Now – Hothouse Flowers
DISC SEVEN: We’ll Keep a Welcome – Harry Secombe
DISC EIGHT: Francesca – Hozier

BOOK CHOICE: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
LUXURY ITEM: Red lipstick
CASTAWAY’S FAVOURITE: I Can See Clearly Now – Hothouse Flowers

Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Paula McGinley