Pontefract Hospital maternity unit future to be discussed this summer

The Friarwood Birth Centre has been shut since since last October because of a serious shortage of midwives.

NHS bosses had initially pledged to reopen the unit at the end of September 2020, or sooner if the staff shortage could be addressed beforehand.

But now Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which oversees all local health services, says the centre will remain shut "for the timebeing", to allow hospital staff to focus on battling COVID-19.

In the meantime, the CCG will make a proposal to NHS England about whether or not the unit should stay open long-term.

The future of the birth centre has been in doubt for nearly two years and health chiefs had considered shutting it permanently before last November's staff shortage forced its sudden temporary closure.

Speaking at a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, the CCG's finance director Jonathan Webb, said: "We've agreed the suspension of births at Pontefract Hospital will remain in place while the pressures associated with the pandemic are live and present.

"Work will continue over the summer to assess the feedback we got from patients and public prior to COVID.

That's with a view to developing a proposal which will be considered by NHS England."

A paper on the issue is likely to be discussed publicly in September.

The CCG says it will look at holding a public consultation if the proposal is to shut the birth centre, but is mindful of social distancing measures potentially disrupting it.

Post-natal and ante-natal care continues to run at the unit for new mums and mums-to-be.

Pregnant women are also now able to give birth at home if they wish to do so. Home births were suspended in Wakefield in April to relieve pressure on the ambulance service.

Local Democracy Reporting Service