No plan to shut down Shropshire baby units, says MP Owen Paterson

Mr Paterson had urgent talks with the chief executive of Shropshire and Telford Hospital Trust, Simon Wright, yesterday after dozens of women wrote to him about fears over the potential downgrading of the unit based at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital.

The units at Oswestry and Ludlow are expected to reopen tomorrow after being shut for a week. Bridgnorth maternity was also closed over the weekend.

Following the meeting Mr Paterson said: "Mr Wright reassured me there are absolutely no plans to close the midwife led units in Shropshire and that he is fully supportive of my mantra that low risk births should happen as local to home as possible.

"However he said he could not give assurances that those units would remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the detriment of the busier units."

"He said he would like to see more women use the midwife led unit not only for having their babies but for all their pre and post natal care."

One of those who wrote to the MP was Molly Cheesman from Ellesmere.

Her daughter, was born at the Oswestry maternity unit in November 2014 and she is 28 weeks pregnant with her second baby.

She said the care she received and having Eliza was incredible.

"After giving birth I stayed at the unit for four nights. As a first time parent I needed that time to rest and recuperate after what was a pretty straight forward birth however new mothers who have experienced a C-section or a more traumatic birth may not have the support at home and may need even longer than four nights.

"Surely downgrading the unit is going to increase the risk of post-natal depression, resulting in more costs in mental health. During my stay at Oswestry two mothers, both mothers, both second time parents, were re-admitted for help and support with breast feeding.

"I really hope the unit is still there in 13 weeks time when I come to giving birth to my second child. During labour I can't imagine travelling an hour in the car with a panicked husband to Telford. The uncertainty of Oswestry MLU being temporarily closed is a major stress on expectant Mums and stress is not healthy during pregnancy.

"Something needs to be done to stop these temporary closures and possibly in future permanent closure."