Mums worried following temporary move of Calderdale Birth Centre

The Centre, which offers an alternative to a maternity ward for mothers, has been temporarily closed due to staff sickness, so equipment has been moved from the Centre to the maternity ward.

A spokesperson from Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust said: “Calderdale Birth Centre has temporarily moved to a separate unit situated within the labour ward at Calderdale Royal Hospital.

“The philosophy of the Birth Centre and the care offered to women and their families remains unchanged.

“Calderdale Birth Centre midwives continue to provide care for women using the temporarily relocated Calderdale Birth Centre.

“The move has been made to ensure safe midwife-led care for mothers using the service during a period of high sickness amongst birth centre midwives.

“CHFT maintain their commitment to providing midwife-led birth centre care for women at low risk of complication during labour and for women who have made an informed choice to birth in one of our birth centres.

“We continue to offer birth centre care at Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, as well home birth with our new case loading home birth team, Aveta.

“Calderdale Birth Centre has a long and successful history and will return to its usual home as soon as this is possible.

Women choosing to birth at Calderdale Birth Centre are being informed by their community midwives or birth centre midwives of the temporary changes to the place of care and reassured that birth centre care is available as before and in line with national evidence based practice.”

The Trust has advertised for new members of staff and the Centre unlikely to reopen for at least six weeks.