Home birth suspension 'likely' to be extended

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust have extended the suspension of home births over safety concerns

A two-week suspension of home births is likely to be extended while NHS bosses continue to look at options to manage patient safety.

The chief executive of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust, Kevin McNamara, said the extension is to help develop a new staffing model.

The BBC also understands a lack of experienced community midwives has compounded the problem.

The trust apologised and said it has contacted women and families who had planned to give birth at home during this time, and midwives have talked through their options with them individually.

Mr McNamara told BBC Radio Gloucestershire's Jon Smith, that the trust is taking an "evidence based approach" and looking at "new models of care in other parts of the country".

Maternity services in Gloucestershire have been under "significant regulatory scrutiny", which Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust CEO said has been "particularly challenging".

Gloucestershire Hospitals is one of 14 NHS trusts to have their maternity services examined over what has been described as "failures in the system", according to the government .

The inquiries are part of a rapid review of maternity care in England that was announced in June.

An external review in September revealed the deaths of nine babies could have possibly been prevented if not for "missed opportunities" in their care between 2020 and 2023.

Mr McNamara said the trust is "working hard on the improvements needed" that will enable any opening to "happen safely".

Former Midwife, Michelle, warned experienced staff are leaving

In 2024, serious concerns about maternity services at the NHS trust were revealed by BBC Panorama.

Midwives said a poor culture and staff shortages at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust had led to baby deaths that could have been avoided.

A newborn baby died after the trust failed to take action against two staff, the BBC were been told.

Former midwife, Michelle, left the trust in 2020 after the death of baby Margot Harvey who was not transferred from the low risk Cheltenham Birth Centre after a bleed.

Michelle told the BBC that former colleagues are telling her "things aren't changing".

"Midwives are still under so much pressure," added Michelle.

Latest figures from the trust show 25 midwives have been recruited since 2022 but over the past six months 14 experienced midwives have left.

'Difficult decisions'

In a separate development, the BBC has learned that the Director of Midwifery, Liza Stephens, resigned last week after four years at the trust.

An email to staff said Ms Stephens had to make a "huge number of very difficult decisions" and that the news would "come as a shock" to many.

The Government's independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, which includes Gloucestershire, is under way and will set out actions to improve care across every NHS maternity service and is expected to report in Spring 2026.

The Department of Health and Social Care said "all women deserve access to safe, high-quality care during childbirth".

They said they are taking "urgent action" to improve maternity services including investing more than "£130m to make maternity and neonatal units safer".