No plans to resume deliveries at town's birth centre

NHS bosses have said they are not planning to resume births at St Mary's Birth Centre in Melton Mowbray following a "temporary pause" to services last year.

University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) NHS Trust halted deliveries in July, saying it was struggling to maintain safe staffing levels.

At the time, the trust said it was still to determine the next steps for the unit where the number of births had fallen to fewer than two per week.

Now the trust and the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (ICB) have announced they plan to relocate births to Leicester General Hospital, about 15 miles (24km) away.

Following a consultation in 2021, it was decided services would be relocated to a new standalone midwifery-led unit at the hospital as part of the national New Hospitals Programme.

However health leaders said changes to the programme had delayed construction of the unit, while birth numbers at St Mary's have continued to fall.

The trust said: "As a result, the plan is to enact the outcome of the 2021 consultation as far as possible.

"This means relocating births to the existing midwifery-led unit at Leicester General Hospital, while maintaining other community services in Melton, including antenatal and postnatal clinics, home visits, and infant feeding support."

The decision to pause births in July was met with protests from supporters of the unit, who said it was an example of best practice and was valued by the community.

Campaigner Helen Cliff said: "We remain bitterly disappointed and dissatisfied with the outcome but also how the process has been handled in terms of the language of temporary and paused.

"We maintain that has been a little bit disingenuous and that this is a closure and still is a closure."

NHS bosses said before they moved forward with the plan, they were aiming to speak to women and families who had been planning to give birth at St Mary's but were unable to due to the pause.

Toby Sanders, chief executive of the ICB, said: "We know how important this issue is for local families and NHS colleagues.

"Before we confirm how we will enact the consultation outcome made in 2021, we want to hear from those most affected by the pause at St Mary's.

"Your feedback will help us make sure the next steps are fair, transparent, and shaped by local voices."

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