Altnagelvin hospital: Midwife-led unit closed due to staff shortages

The midwife-led unit at Altnagelvin Hospital in Co Londonderry is closed due to staff shortages, the Western Trust has said.

The Trust said that there is a shortage of midwives regionally and that it has increased the number of midwives in training in an attempt to improve the recruitment of staff.

A Spokesperson for the Western Health and Social Care Trust in Derry said:

“Unfortunately the Midwife Led Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital is currently not open due to shortages of midwives. There is a shortage of midwives regionally and the Trust has increased the number of midwives in training in an attempt to improve the recruitment of staff.

“Women still receive Midwife led care at Altnagelvin Hospital in the Delivery suite. Midwife led care is also available in the antenatal and postnatal period.”

The Health Department said the Western Health and Social Care Trust took the decision to temporarily close alongside MLU at Atlnagelvin Hospital when the facility was designated as an area for treating Covid positive patients during the pandemic.

Due to a shortfall in the midwifery workforce, the Trust was not able to safely reopen the unit following the easement of the pandemic.

This was a local operational decision by the Trust, which has confirmed that it intends to re-open the MLU at Altnagelvin as soon as midwifery-staffing levels are available to provide safe and effective care.

In the meantime, the Department has commissioned an independent report into the provision of Midwifery Services and Care in Northern Ireland to ensure the best possible outcomes in midwifery care for mothers and babies.

The DOH said this work will inform a consistent approach to midwifery services, including a comprehensive and independent review of freestanding midwifery led units.

The Department added that it has invested significantly in the nursing and midwifery workforce including the 900 additional places committed within New Decade New Approach, however continuing to support the much needed growth in our health service workforce will require sustained investment.

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