Maternity Services in Wakefield District
The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust which provides maternity care in Wakefield, Pontefract and Dewsbury areas is considering making changes to the service at Pontefract Hospital.
This could involve no longer offering the choice of giving birth in the midwife led unit at Pontefract Hospital. The changes would not affect ante-natal care or post-natal care that is provided at the hospital or in the community. Those who have a normal pregnancy would still have the option of giving birth at home or in a hospital if they choose.
The Trust is considering this change because the number of births at Pontefract is so low that they do not believe keeping the midwife led unit is an effective use of staff or resources.
We recently asked local people for their views on maternity services and you can read the report of this work.
Safe, high quality maternity care and choice over where to give birth is what matters most to local parents, according to the results of a public engagement report.
More than 800 local mums, dads, parents-to-be and healthcare professionals took part in research about their experiences of maternity services across the Wakefield district earlier this year.
The main priorities that those who took part in the surveys and interviews thought should be taken into account when future maternity services are being planned were:
- making sure there was sufficient high quality staffing in hospitals and in the community
- making sure all women had access to safe and high quality care close to their home
- making sure women could give birth at a place of their choice
If you'd like to be involved in any future discussions, please contact us on 01924 317644 or email sarah.deakin3nhsnet
Relevant documents
Maternity services in Wakefield District Event September 2019
Feedback from the Yorkshire and Humber Clinical Senate - September 2019
NHS Wakefield CCG Governing Body Papers, Tuesday, 15 January 2019
Maternity Engagement Report January 2018
