Birthing services at North Devon Hospital will remain suspended, and two hospitals in Norfolk could also lose their maternity units, raising fears that pregnant women face dangerous long journeys and may even give birth in lay-bys.
The Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group said it was considering closing delivery suites at either the James Paget University Hospital or the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, or moving all births to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. The group's chief nurse, Rachael Cocker, said the two hospitals were among 12 in England delivering fewer than 2,000 births a year. She said: "It's a huge topic. It's immensely sensitive."
North Devon suspension extended
The controversial suspension of maternity services at North Devon Hospital in Barnstaple has been extended due to an ongoing shortage of doctors. Expectant parents from Devon and north east Cornwall may have to drive potentially two hours longer to Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's other hospital in Exeter.
Hundreds of pregnant women have been redirected since the closure on August 11, with at least one baby being stillborn. Documents seen by The Mirror show that 282 pregnant women have so far had to be redirected to give birth, of whom five were categorised as "birth before arrival".
Protest and public fears
The suspension was extended just days after around 500 residents, including pregnant women, staged a protest in Barnstaple Square on Saturday. The event marked three months of the Ladywell maternity unit being closed.
Mums-to-be posted on Facebook outlining their fears. One woman, due to give birth in six weeks, said: "I have a major fear my baby will arrive early and will end up giving birth on the side of the road. The excitement of having a baby has now turned into dread." Another mum posted: "I'm in the same boat. I've had quick labours and I'm terrified I'm going to end up giving birth on the side of the road somewhere." A third woman added: "I feel you girl. Also due in six weeks and getting really anxious. It isn't fair on us expecting mums."
Trust response and next steps
In a statement, the NDDH trust said: "We remain committed to reopening birthing services at NDDH as soon as possible. We are continuing in our efforts to recruit both temporary and substantive staff. We've formally requested support from the wider NHS."
The Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group said no decisions had been taken and the public would be consulted before any changes were made. Ms Cocker said the number of births across its three hospitals was expected to fall by between 9% and 13% by 2031/32. The proposals were presented at an extraordinary meeting.
One health leader previously responded to the North Devon closure by saying that NHS hospitals need to think about "consolidation into fewer, bigger [maternity] units". Marian Knight, who investigates maternal deaths for the MBRRACE-UK programme, told the Health Service Journal after the North Devon closure that a national lack of capacity for C-sections was a "patient safety issue we need to be actively managing". Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the maternity suspension in Barnstaple was "not acceptable" during his first Prime Minister's Questions and said his government is committed to reopening it.
The trust is due to provide its next update on staffing and whether the suspension of maternity services in North Devon will remain in place on November 23.
