North Devon maternity unit suspends birthing services
A maternity unit in North Devon has suspended birthing services due to staffing shortages, affecting expectant mothers in the area.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A maternity unit in North Devon is suspending its birthing services from tomorrow, leaving expectant mothers facing journeys of up to 54 miles to give birth elsewhere. The Royal Devon University Trust said the temporary closure of the unit at North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple was the only safe course of action after a review of staffing levels.
Women who would normally give birth at the unit will now have to travel to either Taunton, about 50 miles away, or Exeter, 54 miles away. Both routes involve narrow country roads and the A361, which is often congested, especially in the summer. The trust acknowledged that in traffic the journey can take an hour and a half or longer, and the road has been closed for extended periods, including yesterday.
The decision has caused frustration and anxiety among families, according to Catherine McCromvey, chief executive of the Devon Antenatal Family Centre. She said women are "understandably upset" and worried, particularly those with high-risk pregnancies or without access to a car. She stressed that while the trust's decision should be taken seriously, the travel risks are real, and for high-risk pregnancies timely medical treatment may not be available.
The trust has cited long-term sickness among staff as a factor and said it is fast-tracking recruitment to reopen the unit as soon as possible. The suspension is one of several threats to maternity units across the country, and the centre is supporting affected families in the meantime.
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 | Channel 5 |
|---|---|
| Birthing services at North Devon District Hospital will be suspended from tomorrow due to staffing levels, with women redirected to Taunton or Exeter, and the trust citing safety and planning fast-track recruitment. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel focused on the human impact of the suspension, interviewing a local antenatal centre chief to highlight the anxiety and practical difficulties for expectant mothers. It also emphasised the travel distances and road risks, particularly the A361, and noted the trust's reasoning while questioning whether the decision is truly safe for high-risk pregnancies.
- “Women are understandably upset and very concerned.”
- “If the trust are saying that it's genuinely safer for women to take the risk of travelling potentially in labour or with high risk pregnancies, then we do need to take that into account.”
- “For those high risk pregnancies, they really need medical treatment in a timely fashion and that's simply not going to be available.”
Broadcast Timeline
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