In a new update about Yeovil District Hospital, it has been revealed how mothers are delivering after the temporary closure of the Special Care Baby Unit and maternity services.
The Somerset NHS Foundation Trust took the "difficult" decision to close the SCBU and inpatient maternity services at YDH from May this year for an initial period of six months because of concerns raised about safety, quality and fragility of the paediatric service offered.
At the end of June, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published its reports into the paediatric services at both MPH and YDH, following its inspection in January.
The CQC rated the paediatric service at YDH as inadequate overall.
READ MORE: Yeovil District Hospital services rated 'inadequate'
Since the start of the temporary closures, up until the end of the week beginning August 11, 212 babies have been born who would have been born at Yeovil District Hospital.
Of those born, 90 were born at Musgrove Park Hospital, 96 were born at Dorset County Hospital, five were born in other hospitals and 16 were born at home.
A spokesperson for NHS Somerset Foundation Trust said: “We thank all our service users, their families and our colleagues for their understanding, support and hard work during this period of upheaval.
“We committed to providing a formal review of the temporary closures after three and six months. This is a contractual process between our trust and our commissioner NHS Somerset. We have shared the impact of the temporary closures and the work we are doing to reopen with the ICB and they are reviewing the information. We will update further when the process is concluded.
“We know that these temporary closures have had a big impact on all of our service users and on our colleagues.
“We are continuing to work with Dorset County Hospital and the independent Somerset Maternity and Neonatal Voices partnership to support service users, and with our colleagues to support them.”
In terms of progress to reopening, Somerset NHS is “addressing concerns about, quality and fragility of the paediatric service” so that they can safely reopen the SCBU and inpatient maternity services.
As part of this, they are designing a Somerset-wide paediatric service to provide “equitable services across the county”, with services provided at both Yeovil District Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital.
The Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is currently recruiting consultant paediatricians to work across both sites and have shortlisted a number of candidates.
In addition, from September, paediatric resident doctors will also work across both sites.
A spokesperson for the NHS said: “This is a very challenging time, but we are confident that we can build a stronger, more sustainable and future facing service for babies, children and young people in Somerset. We will update further once the three-month review process is concluded.”
Adam Dance MP responded to the update, in a new statement he said: “The latest statement from Somerset NHS Foundation Trust will be disappointing for many families in South Somerset. While it confirms that a review is taking place, it does not provide the clear detail people are desperately waiting for about when and how Yeovil’s maternity services can safely reopen.
“I do welcome the news that more paediatricians are being recruited, as this is essential to fixing the fragility in the service, but local parents and midwives need much greater transparency and reassurance. I will continue to press the Trust and ministers for clear answers, a timeline for reopening, and a firm commitment to maternity care in Yeovil.”
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