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| Maternity changes at Lagan Valley | |
| (about 4 hours 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. | 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." |
| The MP for Lagan Valley, Jeffrey Donaldson, welcomed the move by the health minister, but said he wanted to see the community midwifery unit put in place as soon as possible. |