THE trust that runs Okehampton Hospital has announced that the suspension of birth services at the hospital’s maternity unit is being extended again until mid September.

The Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust (RD&E) temporarily suspended births and subsequent in-patient stays at Okehampton and Honiton maternity units services in July 2017.

The temporary closure was made shortly after last year’s Acute Services Review, which recommended that the midwifery-led unit in Okehampton should close permanently, with a greater emphasis put on home birth and its consultant-led units at its main hospital sites in Exeter, Plymouth, Barnstaple and Torquay.

The NHS has insisted that the temporary closure is unrelated to the services review.

When asked by the Times whether the move could reasonably be called temporary, a trust spokesperson said: ‘We are extremely sorry for the extended length of time it has been necessary to suspend births at Okehampton and Honiton hospitals. The sole reason we have taken this action is for the safety of mother and baby.

‘The rising acuity of women is requiring the flexible deployment of our midwifery staff to prioritise the acute maternity service on the Wonford site.

‘We are continuing to work with the NEW Devon Clinial Commissioning Group (CCG) to explore and consider the options available to safely and sustainably re-open the units for births and subsequent inpatient stays.’

The RD&E trust has said that the step to extend the suspension of services was taken to maintain patient safety due to a combination of factors affecting the stability of the services at these sites and the other units it operates in Tiverton and Exeter.

Zita Martinez, head of midwifery at the RD&E, said: ‘We are sorry for this continued suspension in services.

‘Although we have successfully recruited to a number of our midwifery vacancies, we are still managing a high level of staff absence, including maternity leave.

‘At the same time, the positively received implementation of national policy in the Better Births and Saving Babies’ Lives guidance has meant that the complexity and acuity of women and babies we are caring for has significantly increased. This means that our main maternity unit in Exeter is experiencing greater levels of demand on the specialist care that we provide.  

‘In the context of increasing complexity, re-opening Okehampton and Honiton maternity units for births and in-patient stays would result in the trust stretching our workforce too far and potentially compromising safety in our other delivery units.’

The RD&E trust has agreed with NEW Devon CCG to extend the suspension of births and subsequent in-patient stays at Okehampton and Honiton until mid September 2018 in order to ensure the safety of services across a wider geographical footprint and therefore, for more women and babies.

All antenatal and post-natal appointments, support clinics and home births will continue as normal in both communities.

Okehampton is open for clinics and midwife care and support 8am-8pm, seven days a week. Outside of these hours, women should call the RD&E main maternity triage service on 01392 406616.