Births and postnatal services paused at Melton's baby unit for six months
Births and postnatal care are being temporarily halted at Melton Mowbray’s baby unit due to staffing shortages and a decline in the number of babies born there, the health authority has announced this afternoon (Thursday).
Those services will be paused at St Mary’s Birth Centre for six months from July 7 when the situation will be reviewed.
This will be devastating news for women in the Melton area who are preparing to give birth this year with concerns voiced that the services may never return.
A major transformation of hospital services will see maternity services relocated from the town baby unit to new modern facilities in Leicester with the NHS keen to consolidate everything in the city.
This was delayed following a change in government last year and it was expected St Mary’s would continue to operate for up to 10 more years.
However, the health authority now say longstanding challenges at the town’s Birth Centre – where less than one per cent of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland’s births take place - have worsened in recent months.
This includes safe staffing – around 30 per cent of the community team are currently unavailable due to maternity leave, sickness, or planned absences.
Birth numbers at the centre are also in decline, with just 92 births taking place last year, compared to 9,331 at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and Leicester General Hospital combined.
More women are presenting with complex needs that require closer obstetric or neonatal support, meaning fewer are eligible to use standalone midwifery units like St Mary’s.
The low number of births makes it harder for staff to maintain clinical experience and for the centre to operate safely, the health authority says.
Julie Hogg, chief nurse at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said: "Pausing births and inpatient care at St Mary’s Birth Centre is a difficult but necessary step.
"The decision is no reflection of the commitment and care offered by the St Mary’s team.
“We have appropriate staffing in place to keep these services running until July 7, when the pause will come into effect.
“We recognise the disappointment and concern this may bring and are reaching out directly to the 21 people who have booked or expressed an interest in using the service in the next few weeks, to support with alternative care arrangements.”
Community antenatal and postnatal services in Melton Mowbray will continue uninterrupted, and access to midwifery-led care through the Trust’s home birth team and at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and the Leicester General Hospital sites will still be available.
Maternity services at both hospital sites have been strengthened and enhanced over the last 12 months, with new theatres opening at the Leicester General, and a new digital system providing real-time monitoring of new mothers.
Kay Darby, chief nursing officer at Leicester, Leicestershire Rutland Integrated Care Board, said: “We are committed to commissioning safe and high-quality maternity services for people giving birth in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
“We will continue to support University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust to ensure maternity services are patient-centred, safe and responsive.”
Affected UHL staff will be temporarily redeployed within maternity services, with full support throughout the transition