Births at St Mary's Birth Centre paused for 'up to six months'
Births at a baby unit in Leicestershire will be temporarily halted from next month."Long-standing challenges" at the St Mary's Birth Centre, in Melton, have "worsened in recent months", University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) NHS Trust said on Thursday.These include difficulties in achieving "safe" staffing levels, with about 30% of the team "unavailable due to maternity leave, sickness, or planned absences", a spokesperson said. The trust said it would be pausing births and in-patient postnatal care at the centre from 7 July.
'Difficult but necessary'
The spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service there was "appropriate staffing in place" to maintain services until then.The pause is expected to last for "up to" six months while work is carried out to determine next steps. Staff at the unit - where 1% of births in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland take place - will be redeployed during this time. Community antenatal and non-inpatient postnatal services, such as infant feeding support, in Melton will continue uninterrupted.The 21 individuals and families who have booked or expressed interest in using the centre after 7 July have been contacted, the spokesperson added. Julie Hogg, chief nurse at UHL, said: "Pausing births and in-patient care at St Mary's Birth Centre is a difficult but necessary step. "The decision is no reflection of the commitment and care offered by the St Mary's team. "We have appropriate staffing in place to keep these services running until 7 July, when the pause will come into effect."Last year, 92 births occurred at the unit, compared to 9,331 across the Leicester Royal Infirmary and Leicester General Hospital, UHL added.
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The NHS advises at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week. Strength training exercises can help control weight, improve cholesterol levels, and reduce blood pressure. It is recommended twice a week by the NHS. Manage blood pressure Healthy diet and exercise can help keep your blood pressure in check. But it is worth monitoring it yourself after the age of 40, at least, when the NHS invites adults for a check-up every five years. High blood pressure often has no symptoms but significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Quit smoking One of the best ways to quit smoking is to use resources provided by NHS Smokefree. Support groups, medications, and other tools to help quit smoking such as vapes could be what you need to kick the habit for good - and it's free. Limit booze Excessive alcohol consumption can increase blood pressure and contribute to weight gain, which can snowball and become a heart health risk. The NHS recommends not regularly drinking more than 14 units of alcohol per week.
