Residents to have say over Shropshire MLUs

The events are the next stage of a review of the units by Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, and Telford & Wrekin CCG.

Details are now being finalised for a set of community workshops and people are being asked to save the date and make a note of the venues.

Bridgnorth, Ludlow, and Oswestry midwife-led units (MLU), have been shut since July 1, and the closure is expected to be in place for the next six months.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust has said the closures have been put in place to making sure Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital’s (PRH) consultant-led unit can be safely staffed.

A shortage of staff at the trust has meant the three MLUs have all faced short-term closures in recent months.

Events will now be held where people can give their feedback on how they think the services should work in the future.

The first will be held on September 14 from 10am to 12.30pm at Cabin Lane Church at The Whole Life Christian Centre in Cabin Lane, Oswestry.

The second will be on September 18, again from 10am to 12.30pm at the Rockspring Community Centre, in Sandford Road, Ludlow.

The next will be on September 20, from 10am to 12.30pm at St James Hall in Lodge Lane, Bridgnorth.

On September 22, an event will be held from 10am to 12.30pm at Festival Drayton Centre in Market Drayton.

And the final event will be on September 25 from 10am to 12.30pm at the Park Lane Centre in Woodside, Telford.

The programme of community workshops aims to give people who have experience of the midwife-led units service a chance to be part of the discussions and feedback.

They follow a launch event being held in Shrewsbury with stakeholders, including clinicians and patient organisations, to identify key ideas which will then be shared for further discussion at each community workshop.

There will also be a survey going live later this month. This is currently being drafted by an independent organisation and will be published on the CCGs’ websites.

Full details on how to register for the events and take part in the survey will also be announced shortly on the CCGs’ websites and shared by social media.

Local GP and clinical director of women’s and children's services for the CCGs, Dr Jessica Sokolov, said: “It is really important that we involve people who use the services in the review. We value their opinions. Through their feedback we can learn from their experiences to help inform and shape our local MLU services for the future.

“The details of the events are being finalised at the moment but we wanted to let people know the dates and venues as soon as possible.”