Consultation over Shropshire maternity shake-up plans pushed back
Plans to permanently stop births taking place at three rural midwife-led units in Shropshire will not go out to consultation until later this year, it has emerged.
The public consultation over the plans to end births at the units in Oswestry, Bridgnorth and Ludlow had been expected to start this month.
But those behind the plans, which have been met with controversy, say they need the go-ahead from NHS England before anything can happen.
Under the proposals women will be able to give birth at the consultant-led unit at Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, at the hospital’s neighbouring midwife-led unit, at a midwife-led unit at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or at home.
A series of maternity ‘hubs’ would also be created to support women before and after birth.
Kate Manning, from the transforming midwifery care programme – which has developed the proposals, said: "We are hoping that the consultation is going to be going out later this year. We don't have a date yet.
"It's still subject to change as it has to go through the assurance process with NHS England.
"We don't know if it's going to be the final thing going forward."
She said if the plans pass NHS England's assurance process, they will come back to a joint board of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups for the final sign off to allow the public consultation to proceed.
She added: "We are looking at an eight week consultation but it depends on where it falls.
"We can extend it if needs be."
Dr Jess Sokolov, medical director for Shropshire CCG, told a meeting of Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Council’s joint health overview scrutiny committee in June that bosses were aiming to put the plans out for consultation in September.
Health bosses previously said more than 98 per cent of women were choosing to give birth away from the rural units.
Births at the rural units were suspended again last year, after a series of repeated overnight closures.
Telford & Wrekin Council's health and wellbeing board will receive an update on the plans during a meeting today.
Debbie Vogler, associate director for Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin CCGs; Fiona Ellis, commissioning and redesign lead for women and children’s services, and Dr Sokolov are also expected to attend a joint health overview and scrutiny committee next week to answer questions on the proposals.
