Services at Bridgnorth MLU to be suspended

Inpatient services at Bridgnorth Midwife Led Unit (MLU) will be suspended from 8pm on Sunday until 8am on Sunday 22 April.

The unit will remain open between 8am and 8pm for antenatal and postnatal services, but will not be able to accept inpatients.

The suspension of services come as The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) says an increasing number of mums are choosing, or being assessed as needing, to have their babies in Consultant-led unit over our rural MLUs.

Sarah Jamieson, Head of Midwifery at SaTH, said: “The issues which have been affecting our maternity service continue, with the majority of our mums choosing to deliver their babies at our Consultant-led at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, or being assessed as needing a Consultant-led birth because of medical need, in the best interests of mum and baby.

“I must reiterate that decisions over staffing are made purely on the basis of the choice our women are making and about maintaining their safety. With 98% of women giving birth away from our rural MLUs, it is important that our midwives are where our mums are. I know there have been some comments about planned future suspensions, but I must reiterate again that no decisions have been taken, There is no hidden agenda here.

“The safety of women and babies using our maternity services has been, and always will be, our number one priority.”

Sarah reiterated that SaTH would be undertaking a period of engagement as the Trust anticipates women will continue to give birth away from our rural MLUs.

She said: “During the engagement period we would like to hear from local people, and particularly women and families using our maternity services, to understand how we can best meet their needs until a new long-term sustainable model of care proposed by Shropshire, and Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) can be fully implemented. Plans for the engagement period are being finalised and further details will be provided in due course.”

Services at Oswestry Midwife-Led Unit to be temporarily suspended
Services at Oswestry Midwife-Led Unit will be temporarily suspended from 8pm Saturday 24 March until 8am on Sunday 25 March.

Women booked to give birth at Oswestry MLU who go into labour during the temporary suspension of services will be offered a birth at another MLU or the Consultant-led unit at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford. If any women due to give birth at Oswestry MLU require support during this time they will be able to access a Midwife. All women potentially affected by the suspension have been contacted.

Sarah Jamieson, Head of Midwifery at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), said: “Unfortunately, due to the on-going need to ensure the midwives we have are where our mums are, it will be necessary to suspend services at Oswestry MLU from 8pm tomorrow until 8am on Sunday. I would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”

Ludlow Midwife-Led Unit to resume services
Meanwhile, full services at Ludlow MLU will resume at 8am on Sunday after inpatient services there were suspended on 10 March.