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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the pct made a huge mistake?

30 replies

calamityboo · 13/12/2011 19:03

We have just found out that darley birth centre in matlock is to close! They say it is because of only 100 actual births a year, but it is not publicized as an option in our nearest hospital (25 mins away) for women, this beautiful midwife led unit can only have low risk births but is open 24/7 which was really useful during my 42 hour labour as I was able to go to them to be checked instead of going to the main hospital (3 times) before I was ready to go and deliver, I had to deliver in the hospital because of medical reasons but was able to return to the local unit to recover, had help with feeding, the unit was relaxed and homely where baby and I could get to know each other. They also provided all the anti natal care and were on hand whenever you needed them. This will be a massive loss to matlock and the surrounding areas!

OP posts:
YonderRevoltingPeasantWhoIsHe · 13/12/2011 19:06

Sounds like a massive shame. Are you trying to start an MN campaign or something?

Original poster
calamityboo · 13/12/2011 19:26

I believe there will be an appeal, a campaign might help! I hadn't thought about starting one, but now you mention it......

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 13/12/2011 19:29

But cuts need to be made, unfortunately not everything can stay open

Northernlurker · 13/12/2011 19:30

It's always a shame when this sort of centre closes but times are very, very hard in the NHS and we will see more of this kind of choice. Personally I can live with this a lot easier than the story I read inj the paper today - a 29 year old father of two has been denied a life prolonging cancer drung by his PCT.

londonone · 13/12/2011 19:32

How much does it cost to run per year? I am guessing rather a lot.

Original poster
calamityboo · 13/12/2011 21:51

the local rag said it was about £240,000 a year, it is rather a lot and we all underdstand the financial difficulties, but is such a rural area this midwidfe led unit is invaluable, only 100 births a year is all they looked at, but every single pregnant woman in the area used the centre for their anti natal checks (all but the scan) the midwives were there 24/7 on the end of the phone or pop in if you had any issues or needed them for anything, they helped with post natal care as well, always availabe for bf advice as well as pnd checks, ladies in this area might not wait to see a chesterfield hospital midwife or for an appointment with their gp as these wonderful ladies are always there. there was no publicity in the hospitals for the unit and there have even been reports that midwives even put off potential mums from using the centre meaning that it has been woefully underused, therefore not financially viable. Darley Birth Centre is a wonderful, relaxed, homely environment for mums to be. If we do not win the appeal against the decision, we will only have this brilliant place until July 2012

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 13/12/2011 23:16

There you go then, it's costing too much.

Flisspaps · 13/12/2011 23:26

It's a shame that they think it 'costs too much', as one of the findings of the Birthplace Study released last month showed that MLU births cost the NHS less than hospital/consultant led unit births.

I know that cuts need to be made, but when parts of the country have 'Booze buses' (paramedic staffed ambulances which only deal with drunk people at night time in city/town centres, presumably staffed by the NHS) then it makes me sad that services like this are cut rather than leaving the stupid idiots to puke in the street.

Northernlurker · 13/12/2011 23:58

Well the on the street services are there because without prompt attention the stupid idiots will get themselves in even deeper shit and cost the health service a lot more. Ending up on ICU with alcohol poisoning is very expensive! The Op makes a good point about the value to the community but it is very hard to make an economic case for any unit with low volume of 'business'. The 24 hour a day midwife presence, staffed to safely cover deliveries is the expensive bit of that service. Bottom line is that there is still a safe place in that area for women to give birth and to have ante-natal clinics. It probably won't be as nice for the women but that's the way this goes atm.

kirsty75005 · 14/12/2011 07:11

Costing too much ? That works out at about 2400 per birth, plus all the other things they're doing - I would have expected higher. I'm not at all convinced that the local hospital would be cheaper. Does anyone have stats on (for example) the cost of providing the same service in a hospital ?

Sirzy · 14/12/2011 07:24

But a lot of what you said could be done by midwives working out of drs surgeries/sure start centres.

It is a shame that option won't be there for women who want to give birth there but cuts have to be made somewhere and is £240,000 a year can be saved this way then I can see why it is being done

NinkyNonker · 14/12/2011 07:49

Yanbu. Many centres like this actually achieve better birth outcomes for their patients, meaning less follow on care/cost after.

GypsyMoth · 14/12/2011 07:59

Sirzy... Not many surestart centres left either!

Sirzy · 14/12/2011 08:06

Well over 3000 of them in the country and plenty of gp practices

VivaLeBeaver · 14/12/2011 08:08

It is a total shame but unfortunately accountants are running the NHS. They don't give a shit about nice, homely atmospheres, etc. Yes more than 100 women have used the centre for an checks but these women will still get an checks, just at a GP surgery or hospital. The staffing numbers probably won't drop that much but the cost of running the physical building will be where most of the savings are made.

We have a MLU near us with similar numbers of births, I can't imagine it staying open much longer.

KittyFane · 14/12/2011 08:09

Kirsty- Costing too much?That works out at about 2400 per birth

Add onto that ambulance transport to and from the nearest hospital for some women and the cost of birth intervention when they get there (not all births go to plan). This figure has the potential to rise significantly.

VivaLeBeaver · 14/12/2011 08:09

I think a normal birth in hospital "costs" about £700 o n average. Might be wrong but that number rings a bell.

Hollyfoot · 14/12/2011 08:11

Its a shame, but for less than two births a week it surely isnt viable to have midwives on duty 168 hours a week, 52 weeks a year.

lesley33 · 14/12/2011 08:16

tbh with the details outlined, I actually agree that this is an obvious cut to be made. There are cuts being made where I live that will have a much much bigger impact on people than this cut.

VivaLeBeaver · 14/12/2011 08:17

I doubt the midwives are actually on duty as such 24/7, they probably have an oncall rota and get phoned in if someone is coming in. Yes there will be on call payments to be made but the same as for covering for a home birth service. If they're not doing that then that would certainly be one way of cutting costs.

Hollyfoot · 14/12/2011 08:27

I think there are two midwifery support staff on duty out of hours plus midwives on call. The use of the unit has fallen hugely since 2008, apart from a brief spell when it was under threat and use increased. I would have loved to have used one of these units but can completely understand why it has to close sadly.

NinkyNonker · 14/12/2011 08:35

We have two mlus near us, haven't heard of their fates yet. Our local surgical mat unit is horrendously depressing, and the results aren't great either.

AnotherBloominChristmastance · 14/12/2011 09:04

calamityboo Hi i was one of the people who campaigned in the first place, i am in Buxton and on the 1st of July Corber Birth center will close, this is terribly short sighted of the PCT, i understand what people say about the cut needing to be made, however in this instance it will not save money, Darley and Corber cater to women in rural areas and Buxton especially is quite high above sea level, as a result when the tempreture drops it snows as it did last tuesday and wednesday, on this occasion the snow was not very deep and yet all roads out of Buxton bar the A6 were closed, the A6 it's self had a 3 hour cue on it before reaching Stepping Hill, i would myself not have ventured to Stepping hill in a car i would have rung an Ambulance to take me, therefore using up money and resorces, People will ring Ambulances they will not travel themselves.

We have 2 choices in hospital neither of which is in Derbyshire where i live, i can go to Stepping hill which covers all of the Stockport area and can be over subscribed (people have ended up being transffered to St Mary's in Manchester this is 30 miles away from my home) or i can go to Macc over the A537 or the cat and fiddle as it's known, if your not familier with this road it it officially the most dangerous road in Britain, it it very often closed due to snow or fog and i would not relish driving over it in Labour, Again People will not travel themselves they will call an Ambulance.

The PCT have come up with 5 options for prenatal care in the High Peak, the safest of which and therefore the only workable will save the PCT £124.000 a year. not a lot of money when you factor in the Extra Ambulance journeys that will be made.

Sirzy · 14/12/2011 09:09

I don't think the fact it becomes hard when it snows justifies keeping it open to be fair, nor do I think the use of ambulances in that situation will mean no savings will be made. Whenever you live it is known that when it snows normality goes out the window as chaos starts!

I can understand why people who will be effected aren't happy with the plans but isn't that the case with any cost cutting measures? Everyone is going to be against those which have a negative effect on them.

AnotherBloominChristmastance · 14/12/2011 09:44

i do understand you point about cost cutting measures, we are very lucky to have 2 excellent sure start centers in our area which as far as i know are not at risk of closing, and i do like to moan about things that affect me (who doesn't lol) in this case i will not be affected, my Baby is due in April and this is the last one (i hope anyway).

The last time i gave birth at Stepping Hill, i can not Fault their care, however it was obvious at the time there were problems with staffing levels and they were unable to assist with breast feeding, which is fine i don't expect special treatment i am not the only woman who has ever given birth.

My concern is adding to an already over subscribed maternity unit by adding low risk births from Corber, Stepping hill has a small birth center with 2 pools however these will very often be occupied meaning women will not get the birth they want. (Corber has one pool BTW).

HB is still an option, although i personally don't think the joists in my ex council house would stand up to a pool.

My concern with Ambulances is not only about money but also needless journeys as i see them, if you are capable of giving birth at home or in a birth center the you do not need an ambulance, but it is not always possible to get to Stepping hill in a car in a decent time, the A6 is awful at peak times, and not everybody drives or can afford a Taxi.

I have required an Ambulance 3 times in the last 2 years and everytime i have had the same crew, i'll admit i have no idea how many crews there are in Buxton but it can't be many if i have had the same 2 people every time, for upto an hour (more in winter as you said normality goes out the window) there is an ambulance taken up ferrying a woman to the maternity unit possibly putting lives at risk.