FUTURE OF MATERNITY SERVICES

That this House notes with concern the publication of the report by Dr Sheila Shribman on the future of maternity services; expresses concern that the report recommends the wide-scale closure of excellent existing consultant-led maternity services at general hospitals; believes that the report will lead to the increasing centralisation of NHS services whilst reducing choice for most expectant mothers in rural and semi-urban areas who will have to travel long distances to receive consultant medical treatment; further notes that the Government made no reference during the Opposition Day debate on maternity services on 10th January 2007 to the pending publication and recommendations of the report, many of which contradict the views of local medical experts; and calls on the Government to reject the report's recommendations on consultant-led maternity services to avoid fundamentally undermining general hospitals.