High-risk move (From The Oxford Times)

High-risk move

6:00am Thursday 9th July 2009 in

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The news that changes are being made to the way that vulnerable mothers and their babies are being cared for at the John Radcliffe Hospital has led to understandable concern.

The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust is seeking to make savings of £44m, with 370 jobs to go next year.

But the trust said the decision to move the Silver Star Unit, which provides specialist care for high-risk pregnant women, from Level 6 to Level 5 was not part of any cost-cutting plan and was a temporary measure that would not hit the quality of care.

The trust’s plans to close a level of the maternity unit has clearly angered parents, who have raised thousands of pounds over many years to support the work of the specialist unit.

At the very least, the trust should spell out, in no uncertain terms, just how temporary this closure will be and give a firm date for its reopening.