Concern over maternity service cuts

Lewes residents look set to face huge headaches because of proposals to close the consultant-led maternity ward at the Princess Royal in Haywards Heath.

The workshop, organised by the Lewes and Countryside branch of the National Childbirth Trust (NCT), will be held on Tuesday (September 11) from 1pm '“ 4pm at the All Saints Centre.

Representatives from both East Sussex and West Sussex Primary Care Trusts will talk proposals which will affect where mums will be able to give birth in the future.

Emma Rodrigues, the chair of Lewes and Countryside Branch of the NCT said: 'We are very concerned about the proposals because many Lewes residents use the maternity services at Princess Royal and often talk very positively of their experiences.

'The NCT believes that women should be offered choice in where they give birth and be supported in that choice.

'We are also concerned that if Eastbourne is no longer offering a consultant led service that the choices of local women are further restricted.'

The local NCT branch will be using the feedback from this day to formulate its own response to the proposals.

The charity has said women in Lewes should have easy access to all types of maternity services, including, home birth, a midwife-led unit or birth centre, an obstetric maternity unit and tertiary level.