Bridgnorth's midwife-led unit to close for weekend

Earlier this week services were temporarily suspended at Ludlow and Oswestry maternity units from Tuesday until 8am on Wednesday next week.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust said the suspension of services is due to staff sickness.

Services for women booked to give birth at Bridgnorth will be temporarily suspended from 8pm tonight until 8am on Monday. Day services for expectant mums will continue as normal.

Women booked to give birth at any of these affected midwife-led units who go into labour during the temporary suspension of services will be offered a birth at Shrewsbury or Wrekin MLU or the consultant led unit at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

Anthea Gregory-Page, deputy head of midwifery at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), said: “We’re really sorry that services at Bridgnorth MLU will be temporarily unavailable from 8pm tonight until 8am on Monday.

“We continue to experience sickness within our midwifery service which has led to us having to temporarily suspend services at Bridgnorth MLU.

“I would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We are contacting women who have chosen to deliver at Bridgnorth MLU and who are due to give birth in the near future to inform them and offer an alternative location to give birth if they go into labour whilst services are suspended.”

In addition antenatal scans for pregnant women will not be available at Sutton Hill Children’s Centre in Telford on Tuesday and Wednesday next week due to essential building maintenance work.

Women due to have scans at the centre on the two days will be offered appointments at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford instead on the same day as their original appointment.

The Sutton Hill Children’s Centre is operated by Telford & Wrekin Council and antenatal scanning services within it are run by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).

Jo Banks, women and children’s care group director at SaTH, said: “Unfortunately, due to essential building maintenance work, we have been advised by the property managers that we will be unable to offer our antenatal scanning service at Sutton Hill Children’s Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Women booked to have antenatal scans on these two days at the centre will be able to receive their scans as planned at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford instead.

“All women who have appointments booked at Sutton Hill Children’s Centre on these two days are being contacted to advise of the change of venue. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”