Agenda item

The Chief Nursing Officer for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and

Northamptonshire Integrated Care Boards submits a report to update the

commission on the decision?making process which was followed in relation to the implementation of the agreed relocation of births from St Mary’s Birth Centre.

 

LLR-NICB-Board-meeting-in-common-PUBLIC-papers-19-March-2026.pdf

 

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS

Trust (UHL) provided the Committee with an update following the decision taken by the ICB Board on 19th March 2026 regarding St Mary’s Birth Centre. The following was noted:

 

·       The decision followed a lengthy period of engagement, discussion and

public debate, including a public meeting held in Melton to hear directly

from residents and stakeholders.

·       It was acknowledged that there continued to be differing views on the

decision however, the Board was satisfied that due process had been

followed and that the decision had not been taken lightly.

·       Safety concerns relating to St Mary’s had increased since 2021, with

only 92 births recorded during 2024/25.

·       Low activity levels and workforce pressures had created increasing

clinical risks, including difficulties maintaining staffing resilience and

clinical confidence.

·       Approximately 30% of staff had been unavailable at points during the

review period, further impacting sustainability of the service.

·       The importance of maintaining safe oversight for mothers and babies

and compliance with national maternity safety standards was highlighted

as a key factor in the decision making process.

·       National delays to the New Hospitals Programme had impacted the

planned maternity developments across Leicester, including proposals

linked to Leicester General Hospital (LGH).

·       UHL remained committed to developing maternity and postnatal

provision at LGH using existing facilities and creating a calmer

postnatal environment for women and families.

·       Work was underway to reconfigure postnatal wards at LGH within the

next 3 months to provide more dedicated and supportive postnatal

spaces.

·       Feedback gathered through engagement activity demonstrated that

families highly valued the calm environment, postnatal support and

community feel previously offered at St Mary’s.

·       Concerns raised by local residents and families had included increased

travel times, parking pressures and reduced local choice for mothers in

rural areas.

·       It was acknowledged that the closure process and temporary pause had

been upsetting for staff working within the service.

·       Transition arrangements were in place to support staff, including

opportunities for midwives to work within services at LGH or continue

working within Melton based provision where appropriate.

·       Community based maternity support and home birth services would

continue to form part of the wider maternity model across Leicester,

Leicestershire and Rutland.

·       Leicester was reported to have one of the higher home birth rates

nationally at approximately 2% to 3%, although it was acknowledged

that further work was required to improve awareness of available

choices for women.

·       Home births were subject to detailed safety assessments and delivered

through a dedicated specialist team.

·       National guidance required maternity services to continue offering a

range of birth choices, including home birth, planned caesarean section

and vaginal birth options.

·       Community based perinatal mental health services remained available

locally, whilst specialist inpatient provision continued to operate on a

regional basis due to the small number of beds required across the East

Midlands.

·       Despite delays to the wider New Hospitals Programme, £39 million in

enabling funding had been secured to support essential works across

the Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester General Hospital and future

children’s and maternity hospital developments.

 

In discussion with Committee Members and Officers, the following was noted:

 

·       Historically St Mary’s may not have been consistently promoted and low
activity levels may have reflected a lack of awareness amongst
expectant mothers regarding available birth options. Questions were
raised regarding how maternity choices, including home birth and
midwife led care, would be communicated and promoted more
effectively in future.

·       Whilst birth choices were technically offered, women and families did
not always feel fully informed regarding the full range of available
options or settings, which could result in women feeling directed
towards larger hospital sites by default.

·       Many women had reported positive experiences at St Mary’s,
particularly in relation to the calm environment, postnatal support,
breastfeeding support and continuity of care. Questions were raised
regarding how similar “home from home” environments could be
recreated within larger hospital settings.

·       Work was underway to redesign postnatal spaces and strengthen
postnatal care provision at Leicester General Hospital within the next 3
months to create a calmer and more supportive environment for women
and families.

·       Questions were raised regarding whether all postnatal services and
support previously available at St Mary’s would now be delivered in one
location and whether women and families would be made fully aware of
the services available to them.

·       Community postnatal and breastfeeding support services remained in
place, although inpatient postnatal provision at Melton was no longer
available.

·       Inpatient perinatal mental health provision continued to operate on a
regional basis due to low patient numbers, although community based
support remained available locally.

·       Home births continued to operate safely within Leicester,
Leicestershire and Rutland through dedicated teams and established
safety assessments.

·       Standalone midwife led units required minimum staffing levels,
including at least 2 midwives on site, and the very low number of births
at St Mary’s had made the service increasingly difficult to sustain
safely.

·       Delays to the New Hospitals Programme could impact long term plans
for maternity services across Leicester General Hospital and Leicester
Royal Infirmary, although enabling funding had been secured to
continue essential development works across the sites.

·       Travel times, parking and accessibility remained significant concerns
for rural families travelling into Leicester for maternity care, including
the impact of longer journeys on women experiencing stress and
anxiety. Discussions were taking place with local councils to improve
parking arrangements at both Leicester Royal Infirmary and Leicester
General Hospital.

·       Clarification was sought regarding whether future maternity provision at
Leicester General Hospital would include all postnatal services within a
single dedicated area for women and families.

·       The length of the review process and delays between the original
consultation and final decision had contributed to uncertainty for
families, campaign groups and staff. Lessons had been learned
regarding engagement, communication and the handling of long
running service reviews.

·       The significance of St Mary’s to local families and communities may not
always have been fully reflected through activity data and numerical
measures alone.

·       Ongoing scrutiny of maternity services, including birth choices,
postnatal provision and support for women and families following the
closure of St Mary’s Birth Centre, was requested to ensure any gaps in
provision or support were identified and addressed.

 

AGREED:

 

1.     That the update be noted.

2.     That further updates on maternity provision, birth choices and

3.     postnatal services be included within the Committee’s ongoing

4.     maternity scrutiny work programme.