A NEW community campaign has launched in a bid to prevent the permanent closure of a Lichfield maternity unit.
The facility at Samuel Johnson Community Hospital had closed temporarily during the pandemic.
Despite health chiefs saying back in 2022 it would reopen “when it was safe to do so”, it has yet to fully do so – and now plans have been drawn up which could see it shut permanently.
But now local campaigners are coming together to ensure their voices are heard when a consultation on the long-term future of the maternity unit opens this month.
Hannah Weaver, founder of the Save Samuel Johnson Maternity Unit group, said:
“This unit provided safe, compassionate care for low-risk births and was a cherished part of our community.
“We want to see it reopened, fully staffed and supported long-term.
“The public consultation is our chance to make our voices heard.”
Hannah said she hoped more local people would join efforts to “protect and restore” maternity care in the area.
She added:
“The campaign comes as the hospital’s freestanding midwife-led unit remains closed to births, despite strong public support and previous assurances that services could resume.
“Many families are now forced to travel long distances to give birth, increasing stress and risk – especially for those without easy access to transport.
“Join the campaign and help bring births back to Lichfield.”
People can find out more about supporting the cause on the Save Samuel Johnson Maternity Unit Facebook group.
