Delight as rural Shropshire maternity units reopen

The New Year reopening has been welcomed by campaigners in Oswestry, Ludlow and Bridgnorth who are now urging mothers-to-be to have their babies in the units.

All three units closed their beds after Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust said it did not have enough midwives to retain safe staffing on the consultant ward at the Princess Royal Hospital. Pre and post-natal out patient services remained.

Last month it also closed the midwife led unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital after fears over the fabric of the building.

Yesterday's re-opening was welcomed by Oswestry Councillor Paul Milner, who has campaigned to retain local health services.

"It is great news that they have re-opened again," Councillor Milner said.

"Once you lose a service in an area it is very very difficult to get it back. The campaigners in all three towns have worked incredibly hard to ensure that the decision was make to reopen the midwife led units.

"Hopefully all three will remain open for the long term future. I just hope now that people will use them.

"Oswestry is the second biggest town in Shropshire and women deserve to be able to have their babies in their own town.

"People recuperate better if they are close to home and having local units makes life much easier for fathers and families who are visiting or have to organise child care."

Liz Grayston from Save Oswestry Maternity Unit said: "I look forward to hearing the news of the first safe delivery at the unit. We continue to fight and stand up for our local maternity units.

"Let's show them we don't just want the unit open, but we want to use it. If you are able to give birth there, do, and if you are classified high risk and have to have a consultant led birth, transfer there for a post natal stay."

Next week consultation will get under way into the long term future of in-patient beds in the three market towns. Shropshire's Clinical Commission Group has published a draft consultation document that suggests that in future women should only be able to have their babies in Telford, Shrewsbury or at home.

The midwife led units in Oswestry, Ludlow and Bridgnorth would remain open as maternity hubs but not have in patient beds.