A HOSPITAL trust says it is “making sure” it has staff and space to cope with up to a quarter more babies being born at the RD&E following the temporary closure of birthing services at North Devon District Hospital.

Many staff are being transferred from NDDH to the Exeter hospital over 50 miles away to support women in labour and their colleagues.

The birthing centre at NDDH delivers around 100 babies a month but the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which runs both hospitals, says a lack of consultants and doctors means closing it is the only safe course of action. The home birthing service has also been suspended.

It is not known when the suspension will be lifted.

The move has left many pregnant women anxious as they face journeys of 90 minutes or more for those in the most rural areas to get to hospital.

Currently the RD&E delivers around 300 babies a month.

A spokesperson for the trust said: “We are making sure we have both the colleagues and physical space available to support more women, birthing people and families at the RD&E.

“Many of our staff who work in North Devon will be coming to Exeter to provide care to people from North Devon and to support their Exeter colleagues.

“We’re moving sufficient staff across midwifery and medical roles to support the increased demand at RD&E.”

The trust, which is facing a financial crisis and has launched a voluntary redundancy scheme in the hope of shedding 400 jobs, said the closure of the birthing services at NDDH was not a financial decision, it was about workforce availability.

It said it had made “significant efforts” to try and recruit for its consultant and tier 2 (senior registrars and middle-grade) doctor vacancies.

“RD&E consultants have been providing cover and rotating between the units and we’ve continued to rely on internal and external locums, as well as engaging with agencies to provide staffing for our rotas,” it said.

“We have reached out to neighbouring trusts to seek support where available.”

These measures were not enough to guarantee medical cover to the maternity unit beyond August 11, it said, admitting that the problem had been building for many months, if not years. In addition to existing vacancies there had been unplanned absence/sickness within the team.

The trust says it is working with expectant mothers to agree a safe birthing plan – there were 90 who were due to give birth at NDDH in August who now have the option of Exeter or Tiverton or Taunton if it is more convenient.

The trust says it is working with partner organisations and other providers in the region to ensure it has the right transport infrastructure in place to support the women/families in North Devon but it aims to ensure every women has an individualised birth plan that does not rely on emergency care.

Community midwifery, scans, birth planning, ultrasound clinics and antenatal outpatient clinics will continue to take place at North Devon District Hospital.