Agenda item

Councillor Baker, as Deputy Mayor, took the Chair for this agenda item.

Motion A

Proposed by: Councillor Graham Beale

Seconded by:  Councillor Martin Horwood

Cheltenham Maternity Matters

This Council:

1. Notes with concern the current extended closure until at least October this year of Cheltenham's maternity unit, the Aveta Birth Centre, to be followed by a “further review”;

2. Notes and welcomes the excellent reputation of the midwife-led centre and its community midwifery and ante-natal services, the central importance of choice for local mothers in the planning of local maternity services and agrees with the Royal College of Midwives that "placing women at the centre of their own care is crucial to improving pregnancy outcomes for both mother and baby";

3. Further notes and welcomes the finding of the 2016 Cumberlege report into better maternity outcomes that "women almost universally value local services" and that maternity services need to be "safer, more personalised, kinder, professional and more family friendly" and believes that smaller, local facilities like Aveta provide just such a service in a way that is inevitably harder in much larger, less personal units;

4. Notes that the stated reason for the extended closure is the increasing vacancy rate and difficulty in recruiting midwives, understands the pressures on the NHS not least in recruitment and retention following our separation from the EU and the government’s mismanagement of workforce planning;

5. But recalls with concern that staffing issues were given as the reasons for the initial closure or downgrade of other services at Cheltenham General Hospital including the 24-hour Type 1 A&E service which has never been restored and the piecemeal loss of other services including our children's ward and general surgery which have never been reversed;

6. Welcomes the recent announcement of a £2.7m investment in maintaining a purpose-built birth unit and earnestly hopes that this investment is not at risk from the extended closure and uncertainty;

7. Remembers the huge public campaign, Cheltenham Maternity Matters, to save Cheltenham's maternity unit from proposed closure in 2006 which brought together MPs, this council, trades unions and royal colleges and local campaigners and reflected the huge support from local people for a friendly, local maternity service within quick and easy reach;

8. Invites the Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities to communicate the contents of this motion to the chief executive of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and all members of the NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, and to seek reassurance that the NHS remains unambiguously committed to a permanent maternity service at Cheltenham General Hospital.

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In proposing the motion, Councillor Beale began by sharing the documented evidence that crash test dummies, for many years based on the average male body shape, had caused significantly more women than men to be seriously or fatally injured in car crashes, and once this was established, it took a further 20-30 years of research and testing to resolve.  When becoming a father ten years ago, he realised how little support some women receive during and after childbirth.  A traumatic birth can have a life-changing impact with nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety and depression, all of which can be reduced or reversed with timely intervention and support.

He said the Aveta Birthing Unit at Cheltenham General Hospital has for many years offered incredible support for many new parents, up to and after birth, yet sadly has been closed for over a year, with plans for re-opening delayed by staff shortages.  The loss of this service has severely impacted Cheltenham families, and its permanent closure would be a tragic loss to women’s birthing choices.  Support for women and babies through childbirth is not only a critical service but a moral duty to set families up for success.   

He ended by urging the Cabinet Member responsible to give a clear and permanent commitment to the Aveta Birthing Unit, and support the women and children of Cheltenham when they need it most.

In seconding the motion, Councillor Horwood said that in 2006, he was privileged as Cheltenham’s MP to join with the NHS trade unions in a cross-party campaign to save Cheltenham’s maternity unit when it was threatened with outright closure.   Its success resulted in the outstanding Aveta service described by Councillor Beale.

He said the worry is that with the majority of Cheltenham’s mums now giving birth elsewhere and the re-opening date drifting towards October and beyond, there is a worry that the practical workforce and budgetary issues currently being discussed in relation to the birthing unit are the same as those used when Cheltenham lost its Type 1 A and E department,  general surgery ward, Battledown children’s ward and neonatal care unit. 

He considered that the local NHS references to a ‘further review’ down the track is a real concern.   Some of the reasons for this are known – government mismanagement of NHS workforce planning over the last decade, with many recruitment and retention issues which affect the whole NHS and are exacerbated by Brexit.   It is important to put CBC’s unambiguous commitment to the retention of the Aveta Unit, asking local NHS services to do all they can to protect its long-term future. 

There is some reassurance that the NHS Trust has announced a £2.7m investment in maintaining the service, but if its closure continues, there is some risk to this investment or risk that it might be redirected to another site as part and parcel of a further review. 

He said it was important to put the council’s position on record, and hoped for unanimous support for this fantastic service for local mums and families.

In debate, many Members thanked Councillor Beale for this important motion and shared their experience of the wonderful service they received at the Aveta Birthing Unit and which families of Cheltenham deserved.  The following points were made:

-       it is a disgrace that mismanagement of workplace planning has led to this situation, but Gloucestershire is not alone – long-term solutions and plans are needed across the country;

-       this crisis has been looming for over a decade, and now staff shortages – due to low pay rates and higher expectations - have resulted in the hospital trust having little choice other than to close local units and focus on Gloucester Royal.  A change of government to one truly committed to the NHS is needed;

-       it is good that this important motion has been proposed and seconded by male councillors, and hopefully the closure of this excellent unit will be reconsidered, as one hospital to cope with birth emergencies for the entire county is not acceptable.   There is no guarantee that the £2.7m investment will come to Cheltenham, and it is clear from recent experience of hospital management in Gloucestershire that the only way to get what we want is fight for it;

-       Cheltenham’s population has grown over the years but its maternity service has not, and it is a scandal that there is currently no facility in a town of this size;

-       whilst supporting the motion, it is a little bit woolly with no real conclusion.  The council has a representative on the county Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) and concerns could also be raised here;

-       the issue is being over-politicised, and everyone should be working together to get the facility reopened, lobbying  and inviting the new head of the NHS Trust in Gloucestershire to attend a CBC Overview and Scrutiny or GCC HOSC meeting; 

-       lifelong problems can arise if mothers and babies with post-natal complications cannot go back to the same maternity unit; closing units is a false economy in any case, as any difficulties will need to be referred to another hospital;

-       the motion is comprehensive and well-researched, and although technology has helped reduce abnormalities and problems of pregnancy, maternity services are still in a regrettably poor state as demonstrated by the Cumberlege report, with 7% rated inadequate and 41% requiring improvement.  There are many issues – Covid, industrial action, the financial crisis, Brexit – adversely impacting on NHS services and the quality of care;

-       properly integrated teams are needed, and although Members are not in a position to change maternity care, the council should do all it can to encourage the GNHS Trust to encourage team building in maternity and other departments;

-       everything that is wrong with NHS services is down to mismanagement, and Members who consider this to be politicising the issue are wrong. The government is trying to blame anything rather than taking responsibility, and has demonstrated a shocking dereliction of duty;

-       taking the issue to the county HOSC has been suggested, but the county council is dominated by conservatives. Cheltenham Members represent the people of Cheltenham and must support the restoration of its maternity services and invite our HOSC representative to take CBC’s concerns to the county.  This isn’t about politicising childbirth but about making our voices heard;

-       this is a deeply political issue, resulting from 13 years’ underfunding of the NHS.  The Conservatives are responsible for the current NHS crisis, and the motion is a political statement;

-       maternity services in Europe are far superior to those in the UK because of the way the government spends taxpayers’ money – UK residents are not getting what they deserve, and Brexit has a lot to do with this.

The following ‘friendly’ amendment was proposed by Councillor Harman, to be added to the motion as proposed:

Proposed amendment

Proposer:  Councillor Harman

Seconder:  Councillor Nelson

Having been approved by CBC, the motion is referred to HOSC to receive reassurances about the future of the service.  

The meeting adjourned for five minutes, for this to be considered.

On return, Councillor Beale thanked the Mayor and Members for a great debate, and for sharing their experiences and views.  He was happy to accept the amendment, to achieve a unanimous approach on this issue.

RESOLVED THAT

This Council:

1. Notes with concern the current extended closure until at least October this year of Cheltenham's maternity unit, the Aveta Birth Centre, to be followed by a “further review”;

2. Notes and welcomes the excellent reputation of the midwife-led centre and its community midwifery and ante-natal services, the central importance of choice for local mothers in the planning of local maternity services and agrees with the Royal College of Midwives that "placing women at the centre of their own care is crucial to improving pregnancy outcomes for both mother and baby";

3. Further notes and welcomes the finding of the 2016 Cumberlege report into better maternity outcomes that "women almost universally value local services" and that maternity services need to be "safer, more personalised, kinder, professional and more family friendly" and believes that smaller, local facilities like Aveta provide just such a service in a way that is inevitably harder in much larger, less personal units;

4. Notes that the stated reason for the extended closure is the increasing vacancy rate and difficulty in recruiting midwives, understands the pressures on the NHS not least in recruitment and retention following our separation from the EU and the government’s mismanagement of workforce planning;

5. But recalls with concern that staffing issues were given as the reasons for the initial closure or downgrade of other services at Cheltenham General Hospital including the 24-hour Type 1 A&E service which has never been restored and the piecemeal loss of other services including our children's ward and general surgery which have never been reversed;

6. Welcomes the recent announcement of a £2.7m investment in maintaining a purpose-built birth unit and earnestly hopes that this investment is not at risk from the extended closure and uncertainty;

7. Remembers the huge public campaign, Cheltenham Maternity Matters, to save Cheltenham's maternity unit from proposed closure in 2006 which brought together MPs, this council, trades unions and royal colleges and local campaigners and reflected the huge support from local people for a friendly, local maternity service within quick and easy reach;

8. Invites the Cabinet Member for Safety and Communities to communicate the contents of this motion to the chief executive of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and all members of the NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, and to seek reassurance that the NHS remains unambiguously committed to a permanent maternity service at Cheltenham General Hospital.

9. Having been approved by this Council the Motion is referred to the Gloucestershire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.