Birth Services to be Reinstated at Helme Chase

Birthing services at Helme Chase at Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) will be reinstated in February 2025 – following a temporary suspension due to significant staffing issues. 

In May 2024, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend birth services at the midwife-led Helme Chase unit at WGH. This was because, at that time, there were not enough midwives available to safely staff the unit and its on call arrangement that was in place overnight and at weekends. 

Since the temporary suspension was put in place, the Trust has continued to recruit to vacant posts whilst also working with maternity teams to review the way community midwifery care is delivered across Morecambe Bay. This review intended to develop a new way of working to ensure the Trust could deliver a safe and high-quality service to local communities, whilst also supporting and developing teams.  

Susan Foyle, Director of Midwifery, UHMBT, said: “We are pleased to share that a significant amount of midwifery vacancies have now been filled and a new way of cross-bay working has been established  with our community midwifery team which allows us to ensure a sustainable service in the community and at Helme Chase. This has enabled us to plan to reinstate birth services at Helme Chase in February 2025.” 

As the service at Helme Chase will be provide by a cross-bay midwifery team when required, it is important that we take the time to carry out essential training and orientation to ensure that all colleagues are able to support women in all areas of our communities and Helme Chase. This will take place during December 2024 and January 2025. 

From Monday 6 January 2025, 24 hours home births will be fully available  cross bay; and birthing services at Helme Chase will be relaunched from Monday 10 February 2024. 

Helme Chase will operate on the same model as it did before the temporary closure with women able to give birth in the unit 24-hours a day, seven days a week, supported by a midwife (out of hours via an on-call system). Ante-natal and post-natal care will continue as normal in the unit.  

Susan Foyle, Director of Midwifery, UHMBT, said: “As a Trust, we are really pleased that we are at the point where we can reinstate the service at Helme Chase. We are fully invested in the NHS’ plan for maternity that advocates for personalised care and supporting women to give birth in a place of their choice; and this allows us to deliver that promise to our local communities. 

“I’d like to thank all the colleagues involved for their professionalism and dedication to providing the best possible care for women and families across Morecambe Bay. I’d also like to thank our local Maternity Voices Partnership for their ongoing support and guidance.” 

Janet Gorry, Bay-Wide Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership Lead, said:  “I am delighted that the midwife-led birth services at Helme Chase are being relaunched, and 24 hours home birth services will be fully available from January 2025.

The dedication from midwifes across Morecambe Bay has been outstanding, their commitment to deliver safe and effective maternity care has ensured the longer-term stability of Helme Chase for the community.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank them on behalf of all the parents and new mums to be who have supported the reopening of the midwife-led birth services and home births across Morecambe Bay.”