Mums-to-be are warned a reopening date for birthing services at North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) has not been confirmed.

However, the situation is being reviewed every two weeks, a health chief told North Devon councillors on Wednesday, September23.

An initial restart date of Tuesday, September 29, was cancelled after two new locums left the hospital to take up other positions.

Birthing services were closed on Tuesday, August 11, because of a shortage of doctors, resulting in long journeys to alternative hospitals for pregnant women and their families.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare Trust says it is committed to reopening the Ladywell Unit at the most remote acute mainland hospital in England, but needs to have a “sustainable rota” to make the facility safe.

Speaking at a North Devon Council meeting, chief executive of the trust Sam Higginson said 127 people had given birth at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital (RD&E), Taunton Hospital and locations of their choice since the closure.

“To date we are not aware of any significant clinical incidents that have occurred,” he said.

A new locum doctor is due to join NDDH on October 12 and the trust is “in conversations” with others.

“We are reviewing the situation every two weeks because we are conscious we will need two weeks to restart a service as we need to tell patients and the public and other services,” he said.

The situation has raised huge concern among pregnant women in North Devon who are having to travel up to two hours to have their babies in hospital.

Councillors also raised issues of patients making multiple visits to Exeter for follow up appointments and gynaecology operations being cancelled at the RD&E because wards had been repurposed for C Sections and other maternity care. These cancellations could impact pregnant and new mums from the Okehampton area who normally attend Royal Devon and Exeter (RD&E).