Summary
Cheltonians could soon be born in the spa town again as plans are afoot to reopen the Aveta birth centre. The maternity unit at Cheltenham General Hospital was closed temporarily due to safety concerns in April 2022. This lack of choice for mothers over the last four years has been a source of great frustration in the town.
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But Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is now working on plans to safely reopen the birth centre and reinstate the home births services later this year. This news has been welcomed by the town’s Liberal Democrat MP Max Wilkinson who has been campaigning for it to reopen and raised the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions.
“The suggestion that we will soon hear good news about the Aveta Birth Centre will give hope to expectant parents in Cheltenham,” he said. “For more than four years, Cheltenham mums have been deprived of the choice to give birth at their local hospital – that choice must be restored. “When I was elected, I promised to fight for the restoration of our maternity service.
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I worked with the local NHS, local councillors and Cheltenham people to make the case, which I took to the very top by asking the Prime Minister to intervene. “I hope we will soon know for sure that the reopening will happen and that the NHS will publish the details of a plan and date for reopening.
“I’ll remain on high alert until we get the confirmation we’ve all been waiting for.” Hospital bosses confirmed they are working on plans to reopen the maternity unit. And they also hope to restore the home birth service in the autumn. “We recognise that the temporary closure of Cheltenham Birth Centre has reduced choice for families,” a Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said.
“We are working on plans to safely reopen Cheltenham and reinstate home birth services later this year, subject to ongoing work. “While good progress has been made, there is more to do to ensure the right workforce, training and systems are in place to enable this to happen. “Our priority remains the safety of women, babies and staff as we work to restore services for families across Gloucestershire.”