The Southern Trust has warned it may have to consolidate “all births and inpatient maternity care” at Craigavon Area Hospital ‘temporarily’ due to ongoing staffing issues at Daisy Hill in Newry.
The Trust said it was “experiencing significant medical workforce pressures within inpatient maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital following a number of consultant obstetrician retirements and resignations”.
Despite sustained recruitment efforts across the UK and internationally, the Trust has says it has not yet been able to recruit sufficient consultants to fill these vacancies.
This, it added, reflects a wider shortage of consultant obstetricians across Northern Ireland and the UK.
The Trust’s intention “has been, and remains, to maintain inpatient maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital. Our overriding priority is the safety of women and babies”.
Chief Executive Steve Spoerry said: “The Minister of Health, Robbie Butler, has asked the wider Northern Ireland health and social care system to explore what support may be available to help maintain inpatient maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital. We welcome this intervention and are actively engaging with system partners, while continuing our recruitment efforts.
“While we work with colleagues across the system to explore every available option, it is responsible and necessary that we also develop a contingency plan. This would include the temporary consolidation of all births and inpatient maternity care at Craigavon Area Hospital, should that become necessary to maintain safe care for women and babies.
“Contingency planning will consider the changes required at both hospitals, including the capacity needed at Craigavon Area Hospital to accommodate additional births and the provision of appropriate obstetric support for the Emergency Department at Daisy Hill Hospital. We will work closely with the Department of Health, the Strategic Planning and Performance Group and the Public Health Agency as these plans are developed.”
Mr Spoerry continued: “We are providing this update now because we are committed to communicating openly and transparently with pregnant women, staff and the wider public.”
Women do not need to take any action at this stage. Anyone who is concerned should contact their midwife in the first instance or, alternatively, call the dedicated maternity information line on 028 3756 1325 between 2.00pm and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.
Dr Beverley Adams, Divisional Medical Director for Maternity and Women’s Services, said: “We greatly appreciate the flexibility, commitment and dedication of our entire maternity team. Staff have worked additional hours and made every effort to sustain services at both hospitals.
“However, recent staffing changes have placed the service under significant pressure, and additional support is required if inpatient maternity care is to continue safely across both sites. We recognise that this update may cause concern. Our responsibility is to ensure that every woman, wherever she lives, has access to safe and responsive maternity care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
The Trust says it will continue to keep pregnant women, staff and the public informed as the situation develops and will provide further updates when more information is available.
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