Maternity unit to be closed despite safety fears

An integrated care board has decided which of the five maternity units on its patch should close despite concerns from clinical leaders the move could increase deaths.

North Central London Integrated Care Board yesterday announced plans to close the maternity unit at Royal Free Hospital in north London.

The move will have to be approved at the ICB’s board meeting next week and by NHS England. The ICB has said it wants to close the service in the face of stretched staffing and reduced demand.

But the plans have proved controversial among some clinicians. Last year, the clinical leaders of the Royal Free’s maternity services wrote to their chief executive saying the closure could increase maternal mortality.

NCL ICB medical director Jo Sauvage said: “We have a declining birth rate in our area, and the need for more complex support for mothers, pregnant people and their babies is growing.

“Our services are not currently set up to meet the needs of everyone that uses them. Doing nothing is not an option and we have carried out extensive work to make sure we are able to make the right decision for local families.”

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Source: HSJ, 19 March 2025