The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has warned that closing maternity units is not the answer to the pressures facing services, after the NHS Alliance suggested up to 20 of England’s 155 consultant-led units may need to close or change their role. 

The comments, from the alliance’s director for acute care, Matthew Hopkins, singled out smaller units in rural and coastal areas. The RCM says their problems reflect years of underfunding rather than a lack of need for local services and is calling on the Government to use next week’s Budget to invest in maternity staffing and facilities. 

Hannah Leonard, Chief Policy Officer and Deputy Chief Midwife at the Royal College of Midwives, said: 

“NHS leaders’ call to close one in eight maternity units is stark evidence of what years of underfunding have done. The problem isn’t the units, it’s a failure to invest in staff and hospitals. 

“Closing units that serve some of our most rural and isolated communities means women travelling unacceptable distances in labour and midwives redeployed miles from home to prop up stretched units. It would also widen the inequalities we already see in maternity outcomes. 

“The Government and NHS leaders have a responsibility to make sure every woman can access safe care close to home and to find solutions to this problem. 

“Women and babies deserve safe, local care, and closing units is not the answer. Next week’s Budget must deliver sustainable funding for staffing and facilities. We need the Government to invest in maternity care, fix the staffing emergency and not shrink the service.”