Shropshire maternity plans 'by no means a done deal', say chiefs
The plans being put forward to shake-up maternity services in Shropshire are 'by no means a done deal' and all views will be listened to in a public consultation, health bosses have stressed.
Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups are proposing that women should be able to give birth at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Telford's Princess Royal Hospital or at home, in the future – putting an end to births permanently at the county's three rural maternity units.
Health bosses will be quizzed about the plans at a meeting of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Council’s joint health overview and scrutiny committee tomorrow.
Shropshire CCG's medical director, Dr Jess Sokolov, who will be attending, says a lot of work has taken place over the past two years, which has involved looking at evidence and listening to hundreds of women, families, professionals and other organisations.
A start date for the public consultation is yet to be confirmed, with NHS England still needing to give approval and final sign off needed by the CCG boards.
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However, when the consultation does start bosses say they are keen to listen to as many views as possible and no final decision will be made until all responses have been independently analysed and considered by the CCGs.
It is expected to last about eight weeks and will include public events, a questionnaire, information stands and briefings.
Dr Sokolov said: "We will have events in areas where there are currently midwife-led units, there will be wider events as well.
"The consultation will also be advertised through the baby buddy app.
"At the events there will be members of the programme team with midwives in order to give the clinical perspective and in-depth programme knowledge.
"It will be about listening and understanding what people say to us.
"We need to know what people are thinking about these proposals in terms of the sites we've chosen and the number of hubs chosen.
"We are going to keep it as broad as possible."
As part of the proposed model, a series of maternity ‘hubs’ would also be created to support women before and after birth.
These are planned for RSH, PRH, Ludlow, Sutton Hill and at either Whitchurch or Market Drayton.
Dr Sokolov said these proposals were developed after speaking to women, staff and other interested parties; while data on public health, population levels, social deprivation and transport analysis were also taken into consideration.
The plans going forward could change, depending on the feedback by NHS England.
Dr Sokolov added: "We are taking our proposals to the joint health overview and scrutiny committee but they are proposals. This is by no means a done deal."
Health bosses say the new proposed model will give women and their families easier access to safe, high quality midwifery care closer to home.
If given the go-ahead, it would mean a permanent end to births at the maternity units in Bridgnorth, Oswestry and Ludlow.
