BIRTHING facilities at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton are on the move – but only temporarily.

They will move in August while essential maintenance work – and a bit of a make-over – is carried out.

For a short period of time, the service will transfer from its current first-floor location to the ground floor next to the short-stay paediatric assessment unit.

The work will take around three weeks from August 8 and ante-natal and post-natal services will continue to be provided as normal.

Maternity centre manager Deborah Hebblethwaite said: “We’re writing out to all the ladies under our care to let them know and to assure them that their care during childbirth will continue to be given by the same team of highly qualified and experienced midwives.

“The facilities available will remain unchanged.”