Midwifery unit suspension extended into next year amid staffing issues

The unit will also remain open for outpatient antenatal and postnatal services

The closure of a midwifery unit in East Sussex for labour care and births has now been extended until the end of January.

The Eastbourne Midwifery Unit had been expected to be shut until Friday because of "staffing challenges".

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust is expecting the current suspension to impact roughly four births a week.

The trust said patients will still be fully supported with safe and effective maternity care.

The unit will also remain open for outpatient antenatal and postnatal services.

The trust said on its website that due to "staffing challenges facing our maternity services in Eastbourne" it had redeployed staff from the midwifery unit into its community midwifery team.

It said this was so the trust could continue to provide "safe, high quality home births and maternity care within the community".

"Significant challenge"

The trust said the maternity team would be in contact with anyone who could be impacted by this to discuss their options, which includes giving birth at home or at the Conquest Hospital in Hastings.

"This decision has been made to ensure that we can maintain safe services over the coming weeks," the trust said.

"We are continuing to work hard on both short term and long term solutions to our midwifery staffing issues.

"While we are actively attempting to recruit more midwives into our maternity services at Eastbourne and across East Sussex, the national shortage of trained midwives continues to make this a significant challenge."

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