Health Board suspends maternity services in four hospitals

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has confirmed that, due to “short-term staff absence due to sickness and self-isolation” and a “high number of births”, the services have been temporarily suspended.

The changes affect the midwifery-led birthing areas in the Royal Gwent Hospital, Nevill Hall Hospital, Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan and Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr, and well as home birthing services.

All births in the health board region will be redirected to the Grange University Hospital until normal services are resumed.

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The health board has said additional midwives have been recruited, and will be starting “later in October”.

The temporary suspension of services is in place until 8am on Monday, October 18, after which the health board said it is hopeful of resuming normal services.

“We are currently experiencing a high number of births and short-term staff absence due to sickness and self-isolation in our midwifery services.

“We have recently recruited additional midwives into our vacancies and these will be starting with us later in October.

“In the meantime, to ensure the safety of expectant mothers and babies, we have taken the decision to temporarily cease home birthing services and close our midwifery-led birthing areas in the Royal Gwent Hospital, Nevill Hall Hospital, Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan and Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr.

“These temporary arrangements will allow us to redeploy our midwives to the Grange University Hospital, where all births will temporarily be directed. 

“We apologise to the small number of expectant mothers who will be affected by this change.

“If you are due to have your baby and need to contact a midwife you can continue to call the numbers provided to you in your handheld notes.”