Maternity services stay in Lagan Valley Hospital

Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey, today announced that maternity services will be retained at Lagan Valley Hospital.

The Minister announced his intention to establish a Community Midwifery Unit at the Hospital. Antenatal and postnatal maternity services will remain at the hospital, for women before and after birth.

The announcement follows a proposal by the South Eastern Trust at their Board meeting today, to transfer inpatient obstetric services from the hospital on the grounds that they are no longer sustainable and their support for the development of a Midwifery-led Unit.

Speaking following a meeting with midwives and obstetricians at Lagan Valley hospital today, the Minister has now asked the South-Eastern Trust to produce a business case and implementation plan to ensure the new service is established as soon as possible.

He said: “I know that women in the area have received excellent maternity services for many years at Lagan Valley. It is now clear that inpatient obstetric services cannot be sustained in the longer term, however, antenatal and postnatal services will continue to be provided in the hospital for all local women.

“I want to establish a midwifery unit at Lagan Valley so that women in the Lisburn area will have greater choice of service provision and access to excellent services in the proposed new midwifery unit. A community midwifery unit will provide a full range of maternity services, which will offer greater choice for a significant number of women who are expected to have normal low risk labours.

“I have asked the Trust to produce an implementation plan so that the change in services can be introduced quickly. Having spoken to staff in the maternity unit today I know that they want the transition to happen as seamlessly as possible and I will expect this to happen.”

The Minister said it was essential that we did not place any additional pressure on our other maternity services in Northern Ireland.

He said: “A midwifery unit is likely to manage up to 500 births every year and would play a key role in supporting maternity services across Northern Ireland.”

As part of Developing Better Services, and as highlighted in the recent consultation undertaken by the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust, in-patient obstetric services cannot be sustained at Lagan Valley hospital in the long term. In particular the Trust cannot provide the 24/7 paediatric input that would normally be expected in a consultant-led unit.

The Minister has asked the South Eastern Trust to work closely with other trusts and the new Health and Social Care Board to bring forward detailed proposals for the introduction of this new service.

He said: “I want to acknowledge the dedication of staff at Lagan Valley maternity unit. As so many mothers will confirm, the staff in this unit provide high quality care in a friendly and welcoming environment and will continue to do so in the future.”

Notes to Editors:

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