Maternity services may not return to a Lichfield hospital before the end of the year as planned, councillors had been told.
The midwife-led facility at the Samuel Johnson Community Hospital was taken out of action during the Covid pandemic.
Health bosses had put forward a plan to reinstate an “on demand” maternity unit at the site before the end of the year.
But Cllr Mike Wilcox told Lichfield District Council’s overview and scrutiny committee last week that a county-wide meeting had thrown some doubt over that timeframe.
“They are almost back-pedalling around the potential reopening of maternity services at Samuel Johnson Community Hospital by the end of the year.
“The big problem they have is that are there are not enough midwives.”
Cllr Mike Wilcox, Lichfield District Council
Other members of the overview and scrutiny committee said expectant mothers were being short-changed by the ongoing closure.
Cllr Diane Evans, Labour representative for Boney Hay and Central, said:
“It is vital that the unit is kept. It was purpose built and it seems ridiculous that they then abandon it.
“There must be midwives around that can be redirected to fulfil the needs of the people of this district.
“If you’re in labour and are having to go up the A38 – particularly at the moment – it isn’t easy.
“It’s not fair to put women in this situation.”
Cllr Diane Evans, Lichfield District Council
Cllr Janet Eagland, Conservative member for Boley Park, said people needed to fight to ensure the return of the maternity service to the city.
“We’ve got to have the Samuel Johnson maternity unit back.
“That hospital was replacing The Victoria that they took away on the promise that we’d have a functioning village hospital.
“Why should we have to go to a second hand way of going about getting a safe birth?
“We need to fight this cause.”
Cllr Janet Eagland, Lichfield District Council
