Because of a previous Caesarean section these changes had meant that I was unable to have my 'high risk' delivery at North Tyneside, instead having to travel to the RVI for the birth of my second baby in November.

The midwives at the RVI were fantastic, if obviously overstretched – despite being a 'high risk' patient I had to share a midwife throughout my labour with another mother in the room next door.

The RVI has since been recruiting more midwives, hopefully addressing the problems caused by the vastly increased numbers of deliveries at the hospital following the changes made at North Tyneside.

Before my baby was born I also attended a public consultation by the Primary Care Trust (PCT) on how the transition to a maternity-led unit at North Tyneside had gone.

Despite one in five mothers being transferred to other hospitals during labour since the unit had changed over, there had reportedly been few problems, with those mothers able to have normal deliveries and receiving fantastic levels of care.

Many of the midwives from North Tyneside were at the meeting, showing their obvious support and commitment to the unit.

As a member of the public I was given the opportunity at the consultation to raise questions about the validity of the decision to scrap consultant-led care at North Tyneside with key members of the PCT.

Again and again I was told that these decisions had been made in the interest of 'choice'.

I raised the point that my 'choice' (to have my baby at North Tyneside) had been taken away from me, and was told directly that I felt this way only because I was 'upset' as I was merely 'perceiving that my services were being taken away from me'.

In other words, other people would gain from access to a midwife-led unit, it was just unfortunate that the consideration given to their 'choice' meant that my 'choice' had been taken away.

We are now faced with the very sad news that the Special Care Baby Unit at North Tyneside is closing.

Sadly, this had also been predicted by many as a knock-on effect of the changes to the maternity unit.

Decreased numbers of babies born at the hospital mean that the ward is not financially viable.

Assurances have been made that babies will not suffer as a result (paediatricians on the children's ward will be available to deal with cases when required, with babies stabilised at North Tyneside and then transferred to Wansbeck. It remains to be seen what effect this will have on staffing levels on the children's ward).

However, parents will still have to travel miles to another hospital, and potentially very sick babies will have to make a long journey at a very delicate stage in their young lives.

The crucial point to be made here is that in no way can this be dressed up and called 'choice'.

The PCT cannot deny again that this decision has been taken for financial reasons (again, we were told that financial considerations were not a factor in the decision about the maternity unit).

Nobody using this part of the NHS will benefit from this closure. Yes, perhaps a midwife-led environment has some proven benefits for some mothers and some babies.

On the other hand the closure of the Special Care Baby Unit does not and will not have any benefits for any mothers or any babies.

A document drawn up in December 2005 by North Tyneside Council's health scrutiny committee gave a response to the changes proposed by 'A new model of maternity care in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland', the document which first proposed that the unit at North Tyneside should become midwife-led.

In this response the council proposed that the unit should not become midwife-led for many reasons (a Google search for the title of this response document will give a direct link to the page on the North Tyneside Council website. The document clearly sets out the main concerns over the changes which have now been made anyway).

The document predicted that it would lead to women in North Tyneside being offered reduced choices (yes, the changes have been made, and the choices reduced).

It then stated that there would be concerns over the long term future of North Tyneside General Hospital, namely the further loss of local services (the changes have been made, and another ward in the hospital is set for closure).

So will we go on to lose yet more local services at North Tyneside Hospital? Is the maternity unit really exempt from financial consideration?

On the day I went into labour I had also been at the maternity unit in North Tyneside for a check-up.

On that particular day there were no mothers in labour, with the mothers and babies on the postnatal ward all due to be discharged that day, leaving an empty unit. Is this financially viable?

Obviously this does not represent how the unit is on a daily basis: numbers of deliveries on the unit have so far been within targets.

The tireless work of the staff ensures an excellent service. They have dealt with any teething problems both professionally and efficiently. They are working incredibly hard to prove that this unit can survive.

It is hard, though, to escape the feeling that this is regardless of whether they have the full support of the PCT.

Surely if the PCT want the unit to thrive it would work hard to keep the Special Care Baby Unit open?

New mothers may feel even less confident to book their delivery at North Tyneside with this provision cut as well.

So if delivery rates fall further when special care goes because of a lack of confidence in the services the hospital can offer, will the PCT protect the maternity unit regardless?

Birth rates may well be rising, but will the PCT's budgets for maternity provision really rise with them?


JENNY WILLIAMS
Mitchell Avenue,
Whitley Bay.