NHS London could close maternity and natal wards at the Royal Free Hospital in Camden and The Whittington Hospital in Islington. According to health chiefs at both hospitals, the maternity and natal ward operations in the facilities are no longer ‘sustainable’.
Health professionals have attributed the potential closures to decreasing birth rates in the two boroughs, as well as to the NHS staffing crisis. These causes are said to be triggered by the rising cost- of-living crisis.
Jo Sauvage, chief medical officer in North Central London, said in a statement: “Fewer babies are being born in North Central London and more complex care is often needed during pregnancy and birth, and we need to adapt our services to that.”
A four month public consultation with recommendations from patients, staff and the public will be launched at tonight’s NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board’s (NCL ICB) Members meeting. The NCL ICB is made up of senior health chiefs, who are responsible for deciding how the North Central London NHS budget is spent.
The closures are part of a major re-organisation of the health service across north London.
However, they are already facing significant backlash.
Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North and former Labour leader, has spoken out against the closures, saying: “I have encouraged and supported health planners to respect the outstanding record of the Whittington’s maternity and neonatal care.”
Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn Tulip Siddiq has also expressed concerns about the closures, tweeting that “it would be a tragedy to lose this vital unit”.
The Royal Free Hospital maternity unit has a special place in my heart, and I’m very concerned that it could face closure.
As I say here, it would be a tragedy to lose this vital unit and I will always fight for my constituents' access to local services.https://t.co/8KHFf20OI9
— Tulip Siddiq (@TulipSiddiq) November 30, 2023
She added in a statement: “I’m very concerned about the suggestion that our local maternity unit could be closed, given the number of local residents who I know rely on it and some of the transport difficulties in reaching other North London hospitals with maternity services.”
There are wider concerns about what these closures could mean for emergencies, such as mothers in the area having unexpected births, transport closures which would increase the time taken to get to a ward, and recurrent overstretches at other maternity wards such as University City College Hospital.
The final decision is expected to be delivered at the end of next year.
