Melton baby unit could stay open another 10 years
Melton’s baby unit could now stay open for up to 10 more years after the government announced delays to the major redevelopment of Leicester’s hospitals.
The University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust took the decision to relocate services at St Mary’s Birth Centre to a planned new midwife-led unit at Leicester General – after a 2020 public consultation – in a bid to consolidate maternity resources in the city.
It was all part of a £450M transformation of health services in Leicester which will also see a new women’s hospital provided at the Leicester Royal Infirmary.
The previous Conservative government pledged to have everything up and running by 2030 but the Labour administration have had a rethink with the work now expected to cost up to £1.5bn.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced that the Leicester hospitals redevelopments will not now start until between 2032 and 2034.
The delays over building the Leicester General baby unit means that Melton’s St Mary’s Birth Centre could still be operating up to 2035.
Responding to the government’s announcement, Richard Mitchell, chief executive of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said: “While we recognise the financial challenges, we are clearly disappointed by this most recent decision to delay critical and long-awaited investment in healthcare for the people of Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland.
"It is too soon to fully understand the impact on our local plans, however we are determined to deliver the transformation our hospitals desperately need and that our communities and colleagues deserve.
"We will work closely with local and national partners to achieve this."
Patients will soon get access to some new services though, including a new endoscopy unit due to open at the Leicester General Hospital this year.
Health bosses decided to close Melton’s baby unit because it says the Thorpe Road birth centre is underused, with on average three births a week.
They also felt it was too far for many women to travel to from Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Campaigners had secured more than 6,000 signatures on three petitions calling for the retention of the unit, CQC inspectors have found gives a consistently high standard of care for mums before, during and after they have given birth.