Temporary closure of Cossham Birth Cenre

The North Bristol NHS Trust Board has made the difficult decision to temporarily close Cossham Birth Centre to births for up to four months, with women in labour being diverted to the midwife-led unit at Southmead Hospital.

This decision has been taken because of an unprecedented high number of women needing induction of labour at Southmead Maternity Unit, as a result of the introduction of a new national maternity policy to reduce stillbirths. Combined with staff vacancies, it has required us to maximise our midwifery workforce on one site to maintain the safety of all women and babies in our care.

We recognise that any changes to a woman’s pre-planned maternity care, and the choice they have made about where to have their baby, can be disappointing. However, our absolute priority must be the overall safety of all women and babies in our care.

To ease the pressure, on 1st October six more maternity beds were opened at our Southmead site. We are currently in the process of recruiting additional midwives, including filling current vacancies, which will lead to a total increase in our permanent midwifery workforce of 24 full time midwives.

Putting the temporary closure in place for up to four months will ensure there is sufficient extra staff in place to re-open the centre. However, if enough staff can start earlier in a sustainable way, the date to reopen Cossham Birth Centre will be brought forward.

North Bristol NHS Trust has among the best neonatal outcomes in the country, with an average of 6,300 births a year, which includes approximately 350 births at Cossham Birth Centre and approximately 700 births at Mendip Birth Centre at Southmead Hospital.

I want to reassure you that all women due to give birth at Cossham Birth Centre over
the temporary closure period will be formally notified as a priority. We have also put
measures in place to ensure all calls to Cossham Birth Centre from women in labour
are being diverted to Mendip Birth Centre. Cossham Birth Centre midwives have temporarily joined the Mendip Birth Centre team, at Southmead, and women booked with the preference to deliver at Cossham will continue to have the option of a midwifery-led birth environment at Mendip Birth Centre, which has three birthing suites, each with a pool.

In regards to home birth services these will continue to be available on a case by
case basis. All community antenatal and postnatal clinics at Cossham are unaffected
and running as normal.

Please be assured that any member of the public with concerns or questions can
contact us and we have set up a dedicated email address
cosshamclosure@nbt.nhs.uk.