MP to raise South Tyneside Hospital in Parliament

South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck says she'll raise the issue of the South Tyneside Hospital maternity unit closure in Parliament later.

The maternity ward was closed with just 24 hours notice - with many pregnant women having to travel to Newcastle and Gateshead instead.

Speaking to Metro, Emma Lewell-Buck said:

"Having a baby is one of the most special times of anyone's life and to find out, with no warning at all, the hospital you were going to you now can't - it's very upsetting and it's putting people in a stressful situation.

"Some mams due to give birth in South Tyneside have had to pay £40 in a round trip in a taxi to Gateshead.

"One went to a hospital and was told that birth was imminent, to go home, and ended up having a home birth - it's not on."

Adele Baker is 34 weeks pregnant, and for her first two children she was able to give birth at South Tyneside. However, for her third, she's now been told that's no longer possible.

Speaking to Metro, she said:

"I suffer really bad with anxiety but I've made a brilliant bond with one of the midwives at the antenatal clinic and to have that ripped away from you in the latter stages in your pregnancy is horrible.

"All the staff up there are absolutely fantastic - I cannot fault them in any way, they've just been so supportive and they've been able to calm us down. It's just absolutely horrendous."

We've contacted the South Tyneside NHS Trust for a statement but had not heard back at time of publication.