St Mary's Birth Centre pause continues
Safety concerns have increased as staffing pressures have worsened alongside very low birth numbers. These factors, says the NHS, compromise the ability to provide consistently safe care for mothers and babies if birth services and inpatient care continue at St Mary's.
Birth activity has fallen in recent years, with only one or two births a week in 2024/25, making it increasingly difficult to maintain safe clinical standards.
Local NHS commissioners at the Integrated Care Board have now announced the extension of the closure whilst they listen to patients and families who have been affected.
They want to hear from:
- Those who were planning or considering giving birth at St Mary’s Birth Centre between July 2025 and September 2026 but were (or are) unable to do so because of the pause
- Family members or carers of these individuals
You can sign up to attend an NHS focus group to share your experience of how the pause affected your birthing plans, or complete a questionnaire.
