Devon maternity unit closure leaves expectant mothers facing two-hour hospital journeys
Staff shortages have closed North Devon District Hospital's maternity unit until at least the end of September, forcing expectant mothers to travel up to two hours to give birth.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The maternity unit at North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple has been closed for two weeks because of staff shortages, and will not reopen until the end of September at the earliest. More than 300 women have been told they cannot give birth there, leaving them facing journeys of up to two hours to Exeter, the nearest alternative hospital.
Among those affected are Hannah and Lee Roulton, who are expecting their third child. Their second baby had a complicated delivery and became stuck at his shoulders for 11 minutes. The couple say the added pressure of a long drive is taking away the joy of the pregnancy. "As much as you can try and control things, some things are out of our hands," said Hannah. "This is not something that I can guarantee that everything is going to be OK."
Midwife Catherine, who is helping parents prepare for the possibility of giving birth by the roadside, said the situation was "really disappointing". She added: "We should be no more than a 20 minute transfer to a safe place to have a baby. Pockets of the country shouldn't be left out like Devon. We're rural and therefore we come last."
The trust said there were not enough consultants to run the unit safely, and that the closure was the only safe course of action. It also acknowledged that it knew this was going to be a problem last autumn. So far, more than 30 women from North Devon have given birth at Exeter. Some expectant mothers are now looking for accommodation near the hospital for their final weeks, spending hundreds of pounds to adjust to what they describe as inadequate staffing levels in the NHS.
The situation in North Devon is not isolated. Across the country, many maternity services are facing similar challenges around recruitment, particularly of obstetric consultants and workforce planning. As one expert put it: "There's plenty of evidence that we might see more cases like North Devon, so this isn't an isolated case and that's why this case particularly matters."
Hospital bosses say it was an enormous decision to temporarily suspend services and that they are doing all they can to reopen the unit. But many are wondering how long it will take to find the staff needed to restore a safe and local maternity service.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| Birthing services at North Devon District Hospital have been shut for two weeks due to staff shortages, including a lack of consultants. | |
| Expectant mothers have been told they may have to travel up to two hours to give birth in Exeter until at least the end of next month. | |
| More than 30 women from North Devon have given birth in Exeter since the closure. | |
| More than 300 women were contacted and told they could not give birth at the unit. | |
| The trust knew about the problem last autumn. | |
| The trust said there were not enough consultants to run the unit. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report leads with the human impact on families, focusing on the couple's emotional story and the midwife's frustration. It presents the closure as a local crisis with national implications, but the tone is sympathetic and concerned rather than analytical. The story is introduced after an unrelated item on energy bills, making it a standalone news piece.
- “Preparing for labour in a lay-by. Never part of their birth plans, but now these couples feel it has to be.”
- “Really disappointing. We should be no more than a 20 minute transfer to a safe place to have a baby.”
- “Pockets of the country shouldn't be left out like Devon. We're rural and therefore we come last.”
The report is framed as part of a wider crisis in maternity services, with the presenter noting previous coverage of similar problems. It places the North Devon closure within a national context of recruitment and workforce planning failures, while still including the human stories. The tone is more analytical and concerned about systemic issues.
- “We've reported many times now on the parlour state of maternity services at various hospitals in England, but a new crisis has hit in North Devon this time.”
- “So there's plenty of evidence that we might see more cases like North Devon, so this isn't an isolated case and that's why this case particularly matters.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.