Why are some NHS maternity units facing closure?

Summary

Merging units could improve safety, says NHS leader, but leave women in rural and coastal areas travelling further to give birth Up to 20 maternity units in England may have to shut, NHS leader warns The NHS needs to cut the number of hospitals providing maternity services in England to help keep patients safe, a health service leader who has run four different NHS trusts has said. Speaking to the Guardian, Matthew Hopkins, the NHS Alliance’s lead director for acute care, recognised that such changes would be controversial and unpopular, mainly affecting hospitals in rural and coastal areas and forcing pregnant women to travel further to give birth. Continue reading...

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