A health board is closing maternity wards at two of its hospitals until October due to staffing shortages. Aneurin Bevan University Health Board announced on Monday that it would be closing its maternity-led birthing units at both the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport and Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny from May 9 until October as its midwives are under "significant pressure" due to the shortages.
In a post on its maternity services page on Facebook, the health board said it had made the decision "with the best interests of our mums and new babies in mind" and reminded patients that it was still offering birth services at home, at a midwife-led birthing unit, within the alongside birthing unit and in an obstetric unit.
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It said the number of births at Nevill Hall Hospital (20) and he Royal Gwent (24) in the past 12 months was low but acknowledged that "some women's choice of birth location will be affected." The birthing unit at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr will remain fully staffed between 8.30pm and 4.30pm but would revert to a midwife attending for births only out-of-hours. Home birth options and the midwife-led birthing area at Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan remain available.
"We apologise for the inconvenience caused, but we believe this decision is the right one to ensure the safety of women and to support our midwives who are under significant pressure due to the current staffing shortage," the statement read.
