Call to remove limit on births at Walsall Manor Hospital
A limit on the number of births at Walsall Manor Hospital should be removed as more staff have been taken on, according to a town MP.
Eighteen midwives have been recruited since March when the cap was introduced following a damning watchdog report – and more are on their way.
The cap limits deliveries at the Moat Road hospital to 4,200 a year – a reduction of 700 from the 2015. Despite maternity staffing levels now being within national requirements Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust chiefs has said it was likely to remain until 2018.
Walsall North MP David Winnick said: "It is disappointing. I certainly hoped that the cap would be removed before next year.
"Even now I would hope further consideration can be given to reviewing the situation and it could be removed at an earlier date.
"I understood the circumstances at the time and the priority is the health and welfare of patients, however, I still want the cap to be removed as quickly as possible."
Maternity services at the Manor were branded 'Inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in January last year, a factor in the trust being put in special measures.
The midwife to birth ratio was at one to 37 at the time – way above the national recommendation of one to 28 – and inspectors said staff shortages compromised patient safety.
The ratio in now one to 26 in 12 months following a recruitment drive.
Trust chief executive Richard Kirby revealed last week that the cap would remain in place while progress on a £5.6 million expansion of the maternity department continued.
He said: "The decision to limit the number of births at Walsall Manor Hospital was taken as a short to medium-term measure to allow improvements to the estate to be made and for the appointment of additional midwives.
"No time limit was placed on this temporary measure but we have been regularly reviewing it as part of our quality, safety and patient experience monitoring within maternity services and will continue to do so."
Staffing levels at neighbouring services have remained stable since the cap was imposed.
The midwife to birth ratio at Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust was last recorded at one to 26 – better than it was when new mothers started coming over from Walsall.
At New Cross Hospital, in Wednesfield, the ratio is one to 30 – the same as it was last March.
