
Gloucestershire trust has resolved midwife shortage, boss says
In June, Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced a national investigation into maternity care in England, listing Gloucestershire as one of "the trusts of greatest concern".Women can give birth in Stroud but there is no postnatal care available there, while the entire Aveta Birth Unit in Cheltenham is shut.Mr McNamara joined the trust shortly before its maternity service failures, including maternal deaths being twice the national average, were highlighted on the BBC's investigative documentary show Panorama."Last year, we were in a very precarious position when it came to the number of midwives," Mr McNamara said."We've resolved that issue, we now have more midwives than we ever have done in the service but there's more work to do with some other staff groups."
Mr McNamara said midwives were "being spread too thinly" so had been "consolidated" at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in Gloucester, which has the county's only fully open maternity unit."I recognise that's disappointing for the community but what I have been clear on is I don't want to compromise safety at the expense of choice," he said.He said the health needs assessment, when it is finished in the autumn, would help to find out what is required from the trust's maternity services over the next five to 10 years.
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The Independent
2 hours ago
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The Guardian
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