As a Trust, we constantly monitor all of our services to ensure that we are providing high quality and safe care to our patients at all times. The lead doctor and midwife from our maternity services have indicated that there will be extreme staff shortages across the service from 1 August due to current vacancies, annual leave commitments and maternity leave. The clinical view is that this would put patients at risk unless we plan ahead. As patient safety is one of our highest priorities we are currently exploring options to ensure that we are still able to offer our patients safe maternity cover over this period.

One of the options we are exploring is to temporarily close the midwife led unit at Wycombe Hospital from 1 August. Contrary to anything you may have heard, no decision has been made at this time and we are exploring all options. A temporary closure would only take place if there was a robust plan to reopen the unit. We are already in the process of recruiting an additional 17 midwives who are due to join the Trust during October. This will help to ease the staffing situation and ensure that we are able to re-open the MLU by November at the latest.

The staffing problems do not affect any other services at Wycombe Hospital such as the antenatal services and breastfeeding clinics.

Once a decision has been made we will ensure we do our best to let all of our patients know. If a temporary closure goes ahead and you are booked in to use the MLU at Wycombe Hospital, your midwife will be in touch to discuss the alternatives.

We understand that there may be some concerns about the future of maternity services as Wycombe Hospital and I would like to reassure you that there are currently no plans to permanently close any of the services we provide there.

Should you have any further concerns please contact your midwife.