Hospital stands by maternity move

IPSWICH Hospital bosses today defended their decision to move towards a centralised delivery suite in the maternity department after concerns were raised by staff.

In a letter to The Evening Star, Andrew Reed, chief executive of the hospital, said the move was a direct recommendation from the investigation team that was called in to the hospital after the death of two-day-old Luke Day last year.

He said: “Central delivery suites are universally considered to be best and safest practice for women in labour.

“The vast majority of hospitals up and down the country organise their services in such a way.”

As revealed in the Star yesterday, the hospital hopes to change the way its maternity unit operates by switching to the new model on November 5.

It will mean that instead of three wards which all handle ante-natal care, birth and post-natal care, there will be a separate ward for each.

Hospital staff say this will mean those women who have the highest risk pregnancies will receive a much higher standard of care.

Mr Reed also moved to address concerns about a decision to ask two senior staff in the maternity unit to stand aside from their managerial roles.

Christine Colbourne, head of midwifery, and Dr Winky Johal, a consultant and clinical director for the maternity service, have both been asked to step back from their managerial duties while an investigation is carried out into the death of a baby on the maternity ward earlier this year.

He said: “They will still be in direct contact with patients but have been asked to step aside from their managerial roles until the end of the investigation.”

Hospital bosses claim the investigation, which is due to finish at the end of this month, is due to concerns about administrative procedures rather than patient care.”