HEALTH chiefs have come under fire after a North-East midwifery unit was suddenly stopped from taking in pregnant women.

Bosses at South Tyneside District Hospital maternity unit in South Shields made the shock announcement on Sunday that no babies will now be delivered there until New Year.

The 165 women who are booked in to give birth at the unit over the next few

weeks have to make alternative arrangements.

A public rally will be held outside of the hospital’s Harton Road entrance

between 12pm and 1.15pm on Friday, to call for the immediate re-opening of

the vital public service

One midwife, who asked not to be named, said: “Women are worried about going into labour and not knowing where they should go to have their babies.

“This is completely unnecessary and we don’t understand why a decision has

been made to close a vital asset to a community which could safely remain

functional.”

It follows the announcement last week that the Special Care Baby Unit at the hospital would be closed temporarily due to ‘critical staffing problems’.

Dr Shahid Wahid, medical director at South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We recognise that this is very upsetting news for our staff, patients and the local community but the clinical safety of women and babies in our care simply must come first.

“We are working to support our maternity teams and talking to the women and families affected by this urgent safety measure.”

A meeting of the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee, made up of both South Tyneside and Sunderland councillors, will be held next week.

Councillor Rob Dix, chairman of the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee, said: “While the safety of women and babies must take priority over everything else, the service suspension raises questions about how we came to this position so abruptly.

“Our residents are understandably very anxious about the current situation.”