Mothers say maternity unit closure is 'stressful'

The planned closure of a maternity unit has added extra stress to pregnancies, mothers-to-be have said.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust confirmed it was suspending birthing services at North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple from Tuesday as the "only safe course of action" because of staffing issues despite "extensive efforts" to maintain them.

Kelci Hill-Meldrum, who the BBC talked to at an antenatal family centre in Barnstaple, said her due date was on Wednesday - a day after the closure.

She said: "My concern is, if I have to go to triage, I now have to be triaged in Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital rather than being a 20-minute drive up the road."

"It's now over an hour-and-a-half to get there, which is stressful," she added.

The Royal Devon and North Devon hospitals are about 55 miles (89km) away from each other.

Hannah Winnie-Dennis said there had to be a lot more control during her pregnancy due to it involving a high-risk in vitro fertilisation (IVF) process.

She said she were booked in to be induced on Monday 17 August in Exeter.

"The plan has always been to have an induction at 39 weeks.

"We are now booked in next Monday, so a week today, for our induction in Exeter.

"Hopefully, if she doesn't decide to make an appearance before, that will be the plan."

Rebekah Hester, from Ilfracombe, is 22 weeks pregnant and has been classed as high-risk due to concerns about her developing pre-eclampsia, a condition the NHS said can cause complications during the pregnancy.

Hester said: "I guess it's coming to the realisation that we're either going to have to have a birth we haven't planned, or it could be we're giving birth on the road."

She said when she has turned to midwives, or turned to Google, both said travelling an hour and a half was "too far". They suggested either finding another maternity unit, or the couple would need to watch tutorials on home birth deliveries.

"That is terrifying, that seems to be the options," Hester added.

She said she was yet to hear from the trust about her options, but as her due date is in December, said there was still time to work out their plans.

Hester added: "I really feel for the women that are due a lot sooner."

The Royal Devon trust said it concluded the suspension was needed after carefully reviewing staffing levels against clinical safety requirements.

UNISON members working in South Western Ambulance and Allied Health said it had "serious concerns" about the potential removal of maternity services in North Devon.

A union spokesperson said: "Losing local provision would mean people in labour, and other patients needing urgent maternity care, facing significantly longer journeys to Exeter.

"Given the rural geography of North Devon and the road network in the area, this isn't just an inconvenience, it adds real travel time at moments when minutes matter."

UNISON said it also placed "additional pressure" on the ambulance service that was "already stretched".

"North Devon crews already spend time transferring patients to Exeter and are often used in Exeter and the surrounding areas for the rest of their shift, with knock-on effects on overruns, journey times and staff welfare.

"Crews from North Cornwall are also regularly moved to assist North Devon, so a change like this doesn't just affect one area, it has a ripple effect on ambulance resources and response times across North Devon and the wider region," the spokesperson added.

Devon County Council's Health and Adult Care Committee is due to meet on Monday 17 August to discuss the "extremely concerning" closure and how expected parents in north Devon face travelling to Exeter or Taunton to give birth.

Council leader Julian Brazil has criticised the closure, saying: "Some remote parts of North Devon are a two-hour drive from Exeter - and that's when there is no traffic or road closures.

"This closure is extremely concerning. It is not a decision which would be countenanced in other parts of the country and we should not accept second-rate NHS provision here."

Committee chair Jess Bailey said staffing issues at North Devon had "clearly been developing for some time, yet it was announced with little notice".

She said: "We will seek assurance from the hospital trust that a robust plan is in place to ensure it is reopened as soon possible."

Hill-Meldrum said, despite being contacted when the hospital announced the unit's closure, neither the hospital nor the midwives had much information.

She said she had more information and it had helped with her anxieties, but still felt "a little bit uncertain".

The Royal Devon trust said more than 300 women who were 34 weeks pregnant or more, as well as those identified as vulnerable or clinically high risk, had been contacted.

It added other services including scans and antenatal outpatient clinics would remain in Barnstaple.

Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.