NHS trust accused by MP over future of town clinic

A SENIOR Yorkshire MP has accused local health bosses of “not being straight” with the public in a row over the future of Pontefract Hospital’s maternity clinic.

The Mid Yorkshire NHS Hospitals Trust is trying to close the Friarwood Birth Centre after claiming it is underused.

The trust cited figures showing that fewer than 200 births a year take place at Pontefract, compared to nearly 6,000 at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.

But Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper has disputed the numbers, suggesting they have been influenced by temporary closures of the unit and uncertainty among mums-to-be.

In a strongly-worded address to trust officials at a health scrutiny committee, Ms Cooper said the public’s confidence in the process had been “undermined”.

She said: “The trust is not being straight with the community or the committee about the figures. What’s very clear is that this is a result of the repeat closures during the summer and the repeated uncertainty.

“When you have anecdotal evidence of mums being rushed out of Pontefract to Pinderfields, it’s no wonder mums are feeling a little bit insecure about Pontefract and wondering if it’s safe.”

The trust has reversed a previous decision to stop taking any more bookings from pregnant women who want to have their babies at Pontefract. Ms Cooper said that would have seen the unit “closed by stealth” by the end of February.

Earlier this year, the trust’s chief executive firmly denied suggestions people were being diverted from Pontefract Hospital to Pinderfields, insisting that all patients had freedom of choice.

At this week’s meeting, director of nursing David Melia said that the recruitment of 15 extra midwives meant the service at Pontefract was “as sustainable and as active as we can make it”.