Fears over Ludlow Hospital future after maternity unit shut

Residents, health service campaigners and area councillors have all expressed worries about Ludlow Hospital following the announcement that Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust (SaTH) had "temporarily suspended all services at Ludlow midwife-led unit due to concerns about the condition of the building".

But health bosses insist the move is not permanent and to do with the need for a structural survey of the old "workhouse" building that houses the maternity unit, next to the main, more modern hospital complex, rather than any cost-cutting measure.

Even so, local concerns persist as some suggest the viability of the hospital is at stake.

Tracey Huffer, speaking for Ludlow's four Shropshire councillors, and herself a nurse at Ludlow's Station Drive surgery, said they were worried the building problems would lead to the "permanent withdrawal of maternity services" – and that could have a knock-on effect.

"If there are fewer services at Ludlow Hospital, there is every danger that it will close," she said.

"That would be wrong. If we don't have an established centre for delivery of specialist health services in Ludlow, we won't get those services in Ludlow in the future."

Gill George, of campaign group Shropshire Defend Our NHS, agreed the move was likely to go down badly with people in the area, especially at a time when it was known cuts needed to be made.

She said: "It will cause real anxiety to many Ludlow people, who will see this as another nail in the coffin of a community hospital that is apparently being run down.

"If it closes this isn't just about taking away choice from a small number of women who find it convenient to have a child born closer to home, it has clinical implications," she said.

She added that campaigners had heard from "lots of women" who lived in rural areas who considered having their baby induced as they did not want to be caught out facing a long journey to hospital.

Since inducing increases the chances of needing further medical intervention, she said it was not a situation that should be encouraged.

Dr Catherine Beanland, a GP at Ludlow's Portcullis Surgery, simply said it was "worrying news" on the Save Shropshire Rural Healthcare Facebook group.

Simon Wright, SaTH chief executive, said a building survey had to be carried out before it was known what steps to take next, but the closure was temporary and alternative local arrangements were being looked at for antenatal services.

"I would like to apologise for any disruption this temporary closure may cause," he said. "The decision to temporarily suspend services is not one we have taken lightly, but one we felt to be necessary and in the best interest of mums, babies and staff," he added.