Up to 20 maternity units in England may have to shut, NHS leader warns
Exclusive: NHS Alliance’s acute care director says centralisation of services ‘inevitable’ to ensure safe care Why are some NHS maternity units facing closure? Up to 20 maternity units in England will have to shut to ensure mothers and babies receive safe care amid shortages of doctors and rising caesarean section rates, an NHS leader has warned. Matthew Hopkins, the NHS Alliance’s director for…
Up to 20 maternity units in England may be forced to close in order to ensure safe care for mothers and babies, warns NHS leader Matthew Hopkins. The centralisation of childbirth services into fewer hospitals is deemed "inevitable" due to a shortage of doctors and a rise in caesarean section rates, the NHS Alliance's acute care director told the Guardian.
Hopkins urged ministers to "grasp the nettle" and implement major changes, even though reconfigurations would lead to affected mothers traveling further to have their babies. Many affected units are located in rural or coastal areas with staffing challenges. Hopkins called for a thorough appraisal of maternity services to determine where they need to be located.
Consolidation of care at fewer sites is deemed "the right thing... the safe thing for patients." However, obstetricians and midwives argue that the NHS should continue providing high-quality services close to people's homes.
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