Births and postnatal care services at Oswestry Midwife Led Unit (MLU) are to be suspended for two weeks.

Inpatients services will be temporarily suspended from 8am on Saturday, April 21 until 8am on Sunday, May 6 to ensure the safe care of mums using Shropshire’s maternity services

The units will remain open between 8am and 8pm for antenatal and postnatal services.

Services at Ludlow MLU have also been suspended for four weeks, while Bridgnorth MLU will see full services reopen on Sunday, April 22.

Women booked to give birth at Oswestry MLU or Ludlow MLU who go into labour during this time will be offered a birth at another MLU or the Consultant-led unit at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford or may choose the option of a home birth.

If any women scheduled to give birth at Oswestry MLU or Ludlow MLU require support during this time they will be able to access a Midwife. All women potentially affected by the suspensions are being contacted.

Sarah Jamieson, head of midwifery at SaTH, said: “The issues which have been affecting our maternity service continue, and our midwives are being deployed appropriately to maintain choice as much as possible while ensuring the services we provide are safe.

“Currently we have more mothers due to give birth in the Bridgnorth area and we are trying to ensure that we maintain services where our mothers are choosing to be. In line with this we must also ensure that our consultant led unit is appropriately staffed. Consolidating our staff in this way will enable this.

“I must reiterate that decisions over staffing are made purely on the basis of safety and it is important that our midwives are where our mothers are. The safety of women and babies using our maternity services has been, and always will be, our number one priority.

“I would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”