Friends of Crowborough Hospital call on local community to write to MP calling for her to intervene.
Campaigners are demanding an urgent meeting with health bosses and our local MP after being told the Crowborough Birthing Centre will close until next May.
The Friends of Crowborough Hospital, which only two weeks ago was raising thousands for the hospital in Southview Road at its summer fete, told Crowborough News it was “beyond concerned for the future of the hospital and birthing unit that we love so much”.
The decision, the Friends added, would cause upset for both mothers planning to have their babies at the unit and would be “demoralising for the brilliant staff”.
Crowborough News has asked for confirmation and an explanation from the Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, including reassurance that it will only be a temporary closure. We’ve also asked what the trust has been doing to recruit more staff since the previous temporary closure.
A spokesperson for the trust said: “Due to ongoing staffing shortages we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily pause births at Crowborough Birthing Centre from 2 October until May next year. Antenatal and postnatal services, including parent education classes and the Infant Feeding Café, will continue at the centre as normal.
“Each month between 10 and 20 babies are born at Crowborough Birthing Centre and more than 400 babies are born at Maidstone Birth Centre and Tunbridge Wells Hospital. While we know this will be disappointing news for the people who are affected, our priority is to provide safe, high-quality and reliable maternity care for families and we are working with partners across Kent and Sussex to look at how we deliver a long-term, sustainable service.
“We remain committed to ensuring women and birthing people have choice and our services at Tunbridge Wells Hospital and Maidstone Birth Centre, both of which offer high-quality midwifery-led care with access to birthing pools, reflect our dedication to personalised care which supports each person’s preferences.”
A spokesperson for the Friends of Crowborough Hospital called on the community to write to local MP Nus Ghani. She said: “The trustees were very disappointed to receive the message yesterday that the Crowborough Birthing Centre is to close until next May. This will cause upset for both mothers planning to have their babies at the unit and demoralising for the brilliant staff.
“We have requested urgent meetings with both Rachel Jones, Executive Director, Strategy, Planning and Partnerships at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust and Nus Ghani MP regarding the unacceptable closure and how we can support the early resumption of births at the unit.
“We urge you all to write to Nus Ghani our local MP to ensure the valuable birthing Unit is kept open and supported locally.”
The Crowborough Birthing Unit has been part of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust since 2016. It is part of the Crowborough War Memorial Hospital in Southview Road and has been located in the hospital for 20 years providing midwifery-led care. The birthing rooms at Crowborough have recently undergone a full makeover including a new pool.