NHS maternity staff at Basildon Hospital in Essex received £735,000 in compensation after being exposed to excessive levels of nitrous oxide (Entonox), a union reported. The 121 staff members, including 85 midwives, experienced symptoms like fatigue and headaches due to exposure that was up to 30 times higher than the legal limit over several years. The settlement marks the largest group legal action by UK midwives, with ongoing claims still unresolved; it highlights delays in addressing the issue and underscores the need for improved safety measures across the NHS.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-13,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In 2021, midwives and maternity staff at Basildon University Hospital were exposed to high levels of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas or Entonox, due to poor ventilation and leaking gas lines. The exposure continued until 2023 without proper safety measures being implemented, despite the trust knowing about potential risks since July 2021. Symptoms reported by staff included fatigue, headaches, brain fog, and anxiety. After legal action initiated by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) on behalf of over 120 workers, including 85 midwives, a settlement was reached in early 2024 for nearly £750,000. The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust acknowledged the delay in addressing the issue and apologized to staff. This case marks one of the largest group legal actions ever brought by midwives in the UK.
Written for “Midwives Payout Over Gas Exposure” on 2026-10-13,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
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Leaning: leans left for article 75442 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-10-13
- Published
NHS maternity staff who were exposed to excessive levels of nitrous oxide have received "landmark" payouts totalling £735,000, a union said.
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union → publish → 735,000
Basildon Hospital in Essex settled claims from 121 staff, including 85 midwives, who took legal action after reporting fatigue, anxiety, headaches and "brain fog" after the gas levels breached safety limits.
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levels → settle → limits
The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust said it had apologised to staff.
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it → say → staff
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said it was the largest group legal action ever brought by midwives in the UK.
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it → say → UK
The gas, also known as Entonox, is used to provide temporary pain relief for women giving birth.
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gas → know → birth
The staff members behind the claims were found to have breathed it in over long shifts for months and years.
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members → find → months
According to an internal report from Basildon Hospital, some members of staff were exposed to levels up to 30 times higher than the legal workplace exposure limit between 2021 and 2023.
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members → accord → 2021
They were also not told for 16 months about test results commissioned by the trust that showed their exposure had breached safety thresholds.
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exposure → tell → thresholds
The legal action was first revealed by the BBC in May.
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action → reveal → May
The trust settled the claims after admitting its staff had been exposed to dangerously high levels of the gas.
NHS Resolution, which manages legal claims and compensation cases on behalf of the NHS in England, confirmed the payouts.
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which → settle → payouts
A spokesman said: "We can confirm that 121 claims have been settled for a total of £735,000.
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claims → say → 735,000
Some other claims remain outstanding.
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claims → remain → ?
We are unaware of any larger group of claims brought by midwives."
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One claim has yet to be settled according to the RCM.
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claim → have → RCM
Daniel Poet, from Thompsons Solicitors, who represented the workers, said: "We are proud to have secured compensation for our clients, but they should never have been put at risk in the first place."
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"The trust knew about the dangers in 2021, but staff weren't told until the following year and it took another year for safety measures to be introduced.
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measures → know → year
That delay is unacceptable," he added.
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he → add → ?
Gill Walton, the RCM chief executive and general secretary, said: "For years, midwives at Basildon were breathing in nitrous oxide at dangerous levels while they cared for women and babies.
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they → say → women
"Even once the problem had been discovered, it was more than a year before staff were told.
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staff → discover → ?
That is simply not acceptable and no midwife should ever be treated that way," she said.
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she → treat → ?
She continued: "This is a landmark settlement for our members and it should make every NHS employer sit up and take notice.
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employer → continue → notice
If you don't protect your staff - the RCM will hold you to account".
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RCM → protect → account
The RCM has also written to every NHS trust in England to make them aware of the risks of the gas and said it had also "raised concerns about the trust's lack of action" with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
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it → write → Executive
The RCM has since worked directly with the HSE to update and improve guidance on the use of Entonox.
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RCM → work → Entonox
Louise Crosby, the chief nursing and quality officer for the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We have acknowledged that we should have acted faster to address the issues and have apologised to staff.
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we → say → staff
Since the incident we have learnt lessons, and as part of this, we have improved our oversight of the monitoring of medical gases across the maternity unit at Basildon Hospital."
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we → learn → Hospital
The trust added that it had installed scavenger equipment at the maternity unit and that women could have confidence that it is safe to use Entonox.
Do you have a story suggestion for Essex?
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you → add → Essex
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