Maternity Services Face Temporary Consolidation Amid Staffing Shortages

The Southern Health Trust is planning to temporarily consolidate births and inpatient maternity care at Craigavon Area Hospital, with the transition expected to begin on November 23. This move comes as the trust grapples with five vacant obstetrician posts, which it states prevent the safe provision of maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital.

Steve Spoerry, the trust's chief executive, informed Stormont's Health Committee that ensuring the safety of mothers and babies is the highest priority. He indicated that the trust would not have sufficient consultants to staff both maternity units' daytime and out-of-hours rotas, making a transfer of services to Craigavon "highly probable."

Local mothers have expressed significant concern about the potential loss of services in their immediate area. Natasha, who experienced complications during her pregnancy, highlighted the fear and urgency involved in seeking timely medical care. "What does it say if a woman can't give birth in her own city?" she questioned, recalling a previous incident where she had to travel to the Ulster Hospital for urgent care. She added that Craigavon did not have room for her on that night, raising concerns about its capacity to handle an increased patient load.

Another mother, Seanan Martin, argued that removing services is not the solution and that workforce challenges should have been addressed years in advance. The Royal College of Midwives in Northern Ireland, represented by Dale Spence, echoed these concerns, stating that more midwives are needed and that current staff are feeling overburdened. Spence noted that Northern Ireland should not depend on the goodwill of midwives to maintain essential services.

The trust has acknowledged the need to manage approximately 1,400 additional births annually at Craigavon if services are consolidated. It stated that efforts to recruit consultant obstetricians for Daisy Hill are ongoing, alongside preparations for continuity arrangements. The trust also noted that a risk-stratification standard operating procedure was introduced for Daisy Hill's maternity services following the withdrawal of emergency general surgery in 2024. This procedure has led to fewer women being deemed suitable for elective Caesarean sections at Daisy Hill, contributing to a decline in overall birth numbers there over the past two years.