Births blueprint (From Penarth Times)

Births blueprint

THE VALE of Glamorgan and Cardiff Local Health Boards have unveiled their plans for the future of maternity services in the Vale.

The proposals are outlined in a formal consultation paper which is the result of a twelve-month review of options.

Under the proposals, women are given four different choices for giving birth which are at home with midwife support, in a stand-alone midwifery-led unit at Llandough, in a midwifery-led unit near to a consultant-led at University Hospital of Wales (UHW) or in a consultant-led unit at UHW for women who need a higher level of support during delivery.

All neonatal (newborn babies requiring extra care and support) services would be transferred to UHW.

Gynaecology inpatient services would be transferred from Llandough Hospital to UHW.

Gynaecology oncology (cancer) services would be transferred from UHW to Llandough.

Abigail Harris, chief executive of the Vale of Glamorgan Local Health Board, which is taking the lead in managing the consultation, said: "It is simply not an option to leave things as they are because of a range of factors. As a result, in discussion with people who use the service and with staff, we have come up with a blueprint for a modern and safe range of services.

"In the case of maternity, the proposed changes will give women a real choice about the type of surroundings in which they would like to give birth - in line with current thinking about enabling more women to have their babies at home or in a more homely, low-tech unit led by midwives. The proposals will also mean that, for those women and babies who do need additional support, the highly-trained expert staff plus the latest specialist equipment is concentrated in one place at UHW.

"We do, of course, appreciate that there are always strong feelings about proposed changes and we are keen to hear people's views during the consultation. It has been extremely heartening, however, at the enthusiasm for the proposals from many quarters and the way in which staff, patients and service users see this as an opportunity to provide women with up-to-date, specialist and well-resourced services."

The consultation will run from December 6 2004 to 18 March 18 2005.

Copies of the consultation document are available from the Vale of Glamorgan LHB, 2 Stanwell Road, Penarth, CF64 3EA (Telephone 02920 350600). Website:www.valeofglamorganlhb.wales.nhs.uk