Minister promises to set maternity services 'right'

Karin Smyth pledged to deliver for women giving birth in Gloucestershire

The health minister has promised to "set things right" after Gloucestershire's maternity services were the subject of a parliamentary debate.

Cheltenham MP Max Wilkinson brought the debate forward on Wednesday and asked the government for help in recruiting midwives and support to reopen Cheltenham's birth unit and Stroud maternity hospital's postnatal beds.

The county's maternity services have been ranked "inadequate" since 2022, when they were put under a special safety notice.

Gloucestershire's NHS trust said it has made "progress to improve recruitment and retention".

'Not a luxury'

In 2022, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found a number of problems with maternity services in Gloucestershire, including medical practices not always being followed, some women not being properly monitored during labour, incidents not being investigated fast enough, and staff shortages.

The service was inspected again in 2023, and retained its inadequate rating and notice.

During the debate, Dr Simon Opher, MP for Stroud and a GP, said postnatal care "is not a luxury".

"There is very, very good evidence for certain families that good postnatal care saves a huge amount of money later on," he said.

"It's about making sure that the baby and the mother bond properly, making sure breastfeeding starts properly.

"If we lose it, it will cost the country more but it's also part of the whole maternity services."

Cheltenham MP Max Wilkinson brought forward the debate at Westminster Hall on Wednesday

Max Wilkinson said it was "good to see a form of political consensus emerging" during the debate.

He added, in "an ideal world", the Aveta birth unit at Cheltenham General Hospital would be "safely reopened tomorrow".

"What the trust has told us is they don't think it will be opened before April 2025," Mr Wilkinson told the BBC.

"I want it to be as soon as possible."

At the end of the debate, Karin Smyth said she "completely understood" Mr Wilkinson's concerns.

"We are actively working to improve staffing levels and are planning for the future needs of Gloucestershire's maternity services," said the health minister.

"I will work with the honorable member for Cheltenham to set this right."

Gloucestershire NHS Trust said, despite the "national challenges facing maternity services", it had recruited 33 new midwives since September 2023, with a further 20 to join by February 2025.

"However, our vacancy rate is presently 13 percent, which is the equivalent of 32 full-time midwives, and does not include sickness or maternity leave rates," a spokesperson added.

They said the Aveta unit and post-natal beds in Stroud will remain closed until "safe levels of staffing" are reached.

"We will continue to work closely with our staff, families and communities, to ensure everyone has a voice so that we provide the best and safest care," they added.