Mothers angry over Shropshire maternity unit closures
Mothers who have used maternity units in Shropshire towns have voiced their concerns after four were forced to close overnight because of a lack of medical staff.
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The closures follow similar overnight ones at both Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury from Christmas Day into Boxing Day.
A town's mayor has waded in on the war to save its maternity unit.
Councillor Vanessa Voysey, mayor of Bridgnorth, posted a new year message on social media in which she described her personal experiences with Bridgnorth Maternity Unit.
Councillor Voysey was born at the midwife-led unit, and gave birth to her second child there, too. Midwife-led units at Bridgnorth, Oswestry and Ludlow are all under threat, and concerns have been heightened with the recent temporary night closure of all three for one night each.
Councillor Voysey said: "I am supporting the save Bridgnorth Maternity Hospital campaign. Midwives told me I should consider a home birth for my second baby but I preferred to go to the local hospital. At 2am the road was clear, and in 10 minutes his father was carrying me between contractions towards the labour ward.
"If this was today, in Bridgnorth, I'd feel confident I could make it to the hospital in time but would it be open? Would I want to risk Telford or Shrewsbury in the car?
"It takes longer than 15 minutes. One person in my family born in Bridgnorth Hospital in my family was me – another quick birth. My mother drove in from Alveley and made it just in time. That was the 1970s, this is 2017.
"Why are we being presented with less choice?"
Campaigners have set up an online petition to urge the Government to intervene, which has reached more than 1,200 signatures, and a social media group called Save Bridgnorth Maternity Unit has gained more than 1,000 supporters.
Campaigners concerned about the future of the rural midwife-led maternity units called it a "disgrace".
They have taken it as a sign to be further concerned about the units' long-term prospects.
Campaign groups have now been set up in Ludlow, Bridgnorth and Oswestry calling for guarantees that the units will be funded beyond April 2017.
But health bosses have insisted the situation is due to "short-term staffing issues" with no bearing on the units' futures.
Claire Anderson, from Oswestry, described the latest closures as "disgraceful".
She said: "It'll be when, God forbid, something major happens they'll see the light. Unfortunately yet again too late in the day.
"I was booked in for both my children in Oswestry. Both were born in Shrewsbury, the last one was C section.
"The amount of support from Oswestry was unbelievable. It was home from home. Nothing too much trouble and I got to have the rest and help that was needed."
Laura Jones, from Ellesmere, said: "This type of action should not take place.
"It creates an extra level of worry and unnecessary upset at a time when you need to concentrate on your baby and all the different challenges and emotions at that time.
"Emotional stress needs to be a bigger factor/risk when it comes to making management decisions."
Anthea Gregory-Page, deputy head of midwifery at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said all women from 37 weeks to 42 weeks pregnant who had chosen to give birth at the maternity units had been contacted directly to inform them and offer them a different location to give birth.
If any of them had any complications overnight they would be referred to the delivery suite in Telford through the regular triage system, she said.
