Shropshire maternity units idea rejected say groups
Campaigners have offered to work with health chiefs to encourage more pregnant women to use Shropshire's midwife-led maternity units.
Shropshire Defend Our NHS, along with maternity unit campaign groups in Oswestry, Ludlow and Bridgnorth, approached Simon Wright, chief executive of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, about helping to spread the message about the advantages of the units.
Their ideas include assisting with community events and open days at the units to raise awareness and designing a poster.
The offer comes after temporary overnight closures caused by staffing issues affected Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury midwife-led units on Christmas Day, Oswestry's midwife led unit on December 29 and January 9 and Ludlow's midwife led unit on December 31 and January 5.
Mr Wright has said if the trust decided to get involved in such a campaign it would contact the groups and thanked them for their offer.
Shropshire Defend Our NHS officials have claimed Mr Wright has rejected their offer, but officials at the hospital trust have insisted no decisions have yet been made.
In a letter to Mr Wright, the campaigners said: "Our initial ideas are that SaTH could advertise the MLUs and their safety record, promoting the units in the local press and in our wider communities.
"We would be delighted to help shape any such initiative. Mothers could share their personal stories with local papers and TV, and would love to attend community events or MLU open days to talk about what the MLUs have meant to them and their families.
"Our three MLU campaign groups also propose working together to design a poster that informs women of the advantages of MLUs as a location to give birth, circulating this to GPs, health centres and more generally to community locations."
In response Mr Wright said: "I thank you for your kind offer, and should this be something that the trust takes forward we will contact you accordingly."
Bobbie Brown, of Save Bridgnorth Maternity Unit, said: "The response from Simon Wright is a very firm 'thanks, but no thanks'.
The trust has previously stated that the temporary closures of the MLUs were because of staffing issues, illness or high demand and dismissed claims there is an agenda to cut services.
