NHS boss to meet with Bridgnorth Town Council over maternity units
The boss of the NHS trust which runs Shropshire's two main hospitals is to meet with a town council following concerns over the future of Bridgnorth’s maternity unit.
Simon Wright, chief executive of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which runs Telford's Princess Royal Hospital and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, is expected to meet with the town council on August 23.
Bridgnorth town councillor Dr Julia Buckley, who represents Bridgnorth East, says the meeting has been arranged following a request by the council.
Mr Wright has now said that the midwife led units in Shropshire will reopen for births in October if enough midwives have been recruited to ensure they can be properly staffed.
He recently said the best experience a low risk mother could have was giving birth at home or in a midwife led unit and said the current overnight closures of Oswestry, Ludlow and Bridgnorth were very much a temporary measure.
Last month, town clerk of Bridgnorth Town Council Anne Wilson wrote to Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group raising fears for the future of services in the town.
In her letter, Ms Wilson said the authority had not been involved in discussions of the future of Bridgnorth MLU – despite previous requests for a seat at the table.
A copy of the letter, addressed to the CCG’s accountable officer Simon Freeman, was also sent to Mr Wright.
A review of maternity care is being carried out by Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups.
Councillor Buckley said she wished to ask Mr Wright what measures the trust had taken to manage the safety risks posed during the temporary closure of rural maternity units.
She said she also wanted to know how the future of rural maternity services would fair if there were any significant changes to finances at the health trust.
Mr Wright has previously said the temporary closure of the midwife led units was not connected with the current review of maternity services across the county.
