Midwives concerned over possible baby unit closures
The RCM union says possible closures in Norfolk would also affect patients in neighbouring counties.
By BBC News
Midwives have raised concerns about possible maternity unit closures in Norfolk, warning the changes could affect women travelling from neighbouring counties.
The Royal College of Midwives said options under consideration included keeping services at three hospitals, or closing the consultant-led maternity unit at either James Paget Hospital in Gorleston or Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn. Both units could also close, with hospital births concentrated at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
The Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group has published a “Case for Change” outlining possible ways maternity services could be provided in the future. It stressed that no decision had been made and that formal public consultation had not yet started.
The proposals could affect women from Lowestoft and north Suffolk who use maternity services in Gorleston. Patients from Wisbech and north-east Cambridgeshire who travel to King’s Lynn could also be affected.
The RCM warned that closing units serving rural and isolated communities could leave women travelling “unacceptable distances” while in labour. It also said removing maternity services from a hospital could lead to the closure of linked neonatal units and children’s inpatient wards.
The union said the proposals risked worsening existing inequalities in maternity outcomes and called for investment and additional staff rather than reducing services. It also warned that midwives could be redeployed to hospitals further from their homes.
The Case for Change is due to be submitted to NHS England for further consideration. Any future proposals would need additional research and public consultation before changes were made.