Birthing battle blow

1:30pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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THE fight to save three North and East Yorkshire maternity units which are set to be replaced with a new purpose-built facility is set to rumble on.

Campaigners have admitted a report sent to Health Secretary Alan Johnson is a “bitter blow” in their battle to preserve the units at Malton, Whitby and Bridlington.

They are all set to close next year, although Mr Johnson is now set to receive an angry letter from those who oppose the decision of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) – which was ordered to look into Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust’s proposals.

The report, submitted following a referral from North Yorkshire County Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, stated that only 98 babies were born at the three doomed units last year, compared with 1,542 across the trust’s area.

However, opponents to the trust’s plans say expectant mothers will now face a long journey to a midwife-led unit in Scarborough, which is due to open next year.

But Howard Keal, head of Ryedale District Council’s Liberal Democrat group, said “There is no getting away from the fact that this is a bitter blow.

“However, we will fight to the end to oppose what we see as the deeply-flawed conclusions of this report – we don’t believe this is the end of the line and I will be writing to Alan Johnson about our determination to protect vital rural health services. It’s an uphill struggle, but it always has been. While there is still a chance, we will continue to campaign.”

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh also criticised the panel’s decision, saying: “This will diminish access to maternity service in Malton and North Yorkshire and subject expectant mothers to longer car journeys.

“Mothers living in rural areas have as much right to choose where to give birth as those living in urban areas.”

The trust’s chief nurse, Teresa Fenech, said: “We agree high-quality maternity services, led by consultants and midwives, are an absolute must for the people of North and East Yorkshire.”