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| Midwifery unit for Lagan Valley | Midwifery unit for Lagan Valley |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Some maternity services will be retained at Lisburn's Lagan Valley Hospital, the health minister has said. | Some maternity services will be retained at Lisburn's Lagan Valley Hospital, the health minister has said. |
| There had been proposals to close the unit as part of a package of cost cutting measures. | There had been proposals to close the unit as part of a package of cost cutting measures. |
| However, Michael McGimpsey announced he will establish a community midwifery unit - the first of its kind in NI - which will cater for low-risk births. | However, Michael McGimpsey announced he will establish a community midwifery unit - the first of its kind in NI - which will cater for low-risk births. |
| Deliveries which need surgical skills would no longer be carried out at the hospital. | Deliveries which need surgical skills would no longer be carried out at the hospital. |
| Lagan Valley's maternity unit has delivered about 1,200 babies annually. | Lagan Valley's maternity unit has delivered about 1,200 babies annually. |
| Mr McGimpsey said a midwifery unit would be likely to manage up to 500 births every year. | Mr McGimpsey said a midwifery unit would be likely to manage up to 500 births every year. |
| "A community midwifery unit will provide a full range of maternity services, which will offer greater choice for a significant number of women who are expected to have normal low risk labours," the minister said. | "A community midwifery unit will provide a full range of maternity services, which will offer greater choice for a significant number of women who are expected to have normal low risk labours," the minister said. |
| He said obstetric (surgical) services could no longer be sustained at the hospital and would be transferred. | |
| "However, antenatal and postnatal services will continue to be provided in the hospital for all local women." | "However, antenatal and postnatal services will continue to be provided in the hospital for all local women." |