Essex birthing unit closed due to staff shortages

The birthing unit in Maldon has been closed due to lack of staff.

 

The decision to close the unit means women in the Chelmsford, Maldon and Braintree areas will only be able to give birth at Broomfield Hospital or opt for a home birth.

 

A spokesperson for the trust said “The safety of the women, birthing people and babies using the maternity services remains our absolute priority.”

 

The trust said the closure of the St Peter’s unit, which is run by the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, was temporary and would be reviewed every two weeks, adding that a recruitment drive was underway for midwives, but that it would need to make sure “staffing is concentrated in the right areas” in the short term.

 

The spokesman added “For that reason, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend our labour and birth activity at the midwifery-led birthing unit at St Peter’s Hospital.

 

“We will also not be offering specialist post-natal care during this time.  We will however continue to offer a Home Birth Service.”

 

The Royal College of Midwives has recently warned about “plummeting” numbers of midwives across England, while the government has said it was aiming to hire 1,200 more midwives and 100 consultant obstetricians as part of a “£95m recruitment drive”.

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s team of medical negligence lawyers have years of experience in high value and complex medical negligence compensation claims and have an excellent record.  The team is led by Tony May, a specialist cerebral palsy and birth injury solicitor, who has over 20 years experience in handling cases in which babies have been brain damaged or sustained other injuries as a result of medical negligence.  He and his team continue to represent many cerebral palsy children and young adults in medical negligence claims.  Tony also acts as a Court of Protection Deputy for many of the cerebral palsy and brain damaged clients that he has represented, so we can continue to support you after your case is settled.  Tony can be contacted by email on tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk.  Alternatively, please call and speak to any of Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist medical negligence Legal Aid and no win, no fee solicitors for free legal advice on Freephone 0800 304 7382