Campaigners rally after birth centre closure
Newsdesk • Published 1 Feb 2012 12:00
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CAMPAIGNERS are pinning their hopes to save Ascot Birth Centre on a day
trip to the New Forest.
The chief executive of Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust, Philippa Slinger, has agreed to visit the low risk
maternity unit to see if she can pick up tips on how it operates.
She announced at the trust's public board meeting on Thursday last week
that the Heatherwood-based centre would remain closed for the
foreseeable future, but agreed to campaigners' requests to visit the
successful New Forest centre before the end of February.
After the meeting she said in a statement: "We have been looking at
long-term sustainability of the service [Ascot Birth Centre].
Sustainable means we don't need to be in a position where long term
sickness means we have to close.
"We will be looking to see if there is anywhere else in the country
trying to run something similar and how it works for them."
The visit was suggested by the Health Advisory Group (HAG), which is
backing the Save Heatherwood Hospital campaign, and voluntary
communications officer Carol Brooker said: "HAG members asked for the
Trust representatives to go visit other low risk maternity units and
feedback to our wider community how the other trusts successfully manage
and promote them. We await the CEO's report."
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