Gloucestershire maternity units to remain closed following staff shortages

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have confirmed that maternity services will remain closed for months due to staff shortages – the Aveta Birth Unit in Cheltenham and Stroud’s post-natal services are not expected to re-open until at least October.

The announcement means women will have been unable to use the services for more than a year.

The decision means new mothers are forced to go home 12 hours after giving birth, or if they have medical needs being sent to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Maternity campaigners say new mothers are not getting the support they need.

Kate Buckingham from Stroud Maternity Matters, said “Women just aren’t getting that support in the early hours after their baby is back home.

“We’ve seen a real rise in the number of women having to access local volunteer run groups in order to have time learning to breast feed and get support.”

However, Matt Holdaway chief nurse at the trust, said there were no plans to close the services.

He said “While the measures that we have taken are far from ideal, they have enabled us to deliver a safe service.

“The safety of all babies, women and birthing people remains the guiding principle behind these difficult decisions.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (jacquelinevance@chadlaw.co.uk), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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