Northampton General Hospital

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Anyone got any first hand experience of NGH please? I've heard their birthing unit is now only opening with enough women needing it at any specific time. I'm just wondering what your experience has been like?

I've heard the same for the Barrett birthing centre. A friend gave birth at NGH a few months ago and when she went in they said it was closed as it was under staffed. Not holding out much hope sadly.

Had DD1 on the Barratt maternity ward, DD2 I had at the end of August on the labour ward due to age and needing to be induced. They were extremely short staffed, where they would normally have needed 18 midwives they only had 11, due to sickness, burn out and midwives leaving. I know this, because I put a complaint in due to waiting five days to get onto the labour ward to have my waters broken. I have to say though that the midwives were absolutely amazing and are between a rock and a hard place, the short staff issue I believe has had a knock on effect on the midwife led unit and other areas, so it's not surprising that they are limiting use of the Barratt. When I had DD1 the midwives on the Barratt were tending to those on the ward and those giving birth, and that was seven years ago. If you don't get on it though, I can honestly say that the support of the midwives on the labour ward is amazing.