Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has responded to social media speculation surrounding the future of Stroud Maternity Hospital.
Fears were raised over the weekend following the news postnatal beds were suspended. To negate this, new mums requiring extra postnatal care will be offered the option of home visits or will need to attend another centre.
“We want to clarify the current position about postnatal beds at Stroud Maternity,” said a spokesperson for the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
“In response to continuing staffing challenges, many people may be aware that we have taken the difficult decision to suspend the provision of postnatal beds at Stroud Maternity.
“This ensures that we can maintain the Stroud birthing service and continue to provide one-to-one care in labour at all times.
“This is a short-term measure only and will be reviewed on a weekly basis.
“Stroud remains open for labour and births.
“Postnatal care for families who have their babies at Stroud continues to be available in the first six hours following birth in the unit.
“The community midwifery service in Stroud remains unchanged.
“Families are offered home visits or the opportunity to attend a postnatal clinic run by midwives in the postnatal period.
“They reiterate our commitment to the long-term future of maternity services at the unit.”
Stroud Maternity Hospital was saved from closure in 2006 and Stroud’s mental health unit at Weavers Croft.
Thousands of protestors lined the streets in a bid to save the hospitals in one of the town’s biggest-ever marches.
The campaign also took protestors to London where around 1,250 people took part in a rally outside The Houses of Parliament.
Hospital chiefs were inundated with more than 9,000 responses to the plans, including a 1,000-signature petition to save Weaver’s Croft and more than 1,000 letters and emails.
