| Maternity services at St George's capped |
| Friday, 05 August 2011 09:10 |
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The Tory-led government’s cuts to frontline NHS services mean St George’s will have to start turning pregnant women away from next week.
Increasing birth-rates combined with cuts means a cap of 5,128 births a year has been imposed, starting from 8th August. This cap will initially be set at 5,128 women per year – Wandsworth’s birth rate was a record 5400 this year.
As government cuts bite, Doctors have been forced to limit the number of births in order to maintain a safe service at the hospital.
Under the conditions of the cap, local women and high risk cases will be prioritised and continue to receive care and treatment at the hospital, but women outside of the newly established catchment area will have to elsewhere to access maternity services, even if St George’s is their nearest hospital.
Earlier this year St George’s Hospital announced it was having to make £55 million in spending cuts, with potential loss of up to 10% of the workforce as a result.
Sadiq Khan MP said, “The Tory-led government promised no cuts to frontline NHS services – this shows just how empty that promise was.
“Women in the area rely on St George’s to provide vital support throughout the course of their pregnancy – this cap means many local women will be forced to go to hospitals further away, which will be difficult for many.
“I have sought reassurances from St George’s that local women and high risk cases will not be turned away under any circumstances.”
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