A birth centre that will have been closed for two years next month remains shut due to staffing shortages. Cossham Birth Centre in Kingswood suspended deliveries in October 2022 and redirected women in labour to the Mendip Birth Centre at Southmead Hospital.
Despite initially being described as a “temporary” closure, Cossham Birth Centre remains shut. The specialist birthing centre was also closed in 2018 for several months due to a shortage of midwives.
At the time of the closure in 2022, North Bristol NHS Trust’s chief nursing officer, Steve Hams, said that it would resume the “full service as soon as possible.” Pregnant women spoke prior to the closure about the difficulties the ambiguity has created when planning the birth of their newborn.
North Bristol NHS Trust Chief Medical Officer, Tim Whittlestone, said: “As we look ahead to the future of maternity care I am delighted to confirm that the Cossham Birth Centre remains an integral part of our long-term vision for ensuring the very best care and experience possible for the women using our service.
“In the short to medium term, we are actively seeking to get the most we can out of this fantastic facility by expanding both antenatal and postnatal services on-site to create a community maternity hub. This will also support our highly regarded and popular home birth service.
“In addition, for women who would like to give birth in a community setting other than their own home, the Mendip Birth Centre at Southmead Hospital continues to offer outstanding midwife-led care.
“Cossham Hospital in general and the Birth Centre in particular have bright and vibrant futures as part of North Bristol NHS Trust.”