Nusrat Ghani, MP for Sussex Weald, continues to work with the Friends of Crowborough Hospital and lead the campaign to reopen the Crowborough Birthing Centre, with further meetings having taken place throughout December.
In September, the Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust made the decision to pause births at Crowborough Birthing Centre until May this year. Upon receiving this information, Nusrat has immediately contacted the Trust and has since held a series of meetings with the Trust Chief Executive Miles Scott, and the Chief Executive of NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board Adam Doyle.
Over the last 10 years, Nusrat has fought alongside The Friends of Crowborough Hospital many times against the Centre’s closure and campaigned for its prompt reopening when poor, shortsighted decisions about the facility were made by the Trust, most notably during the Covid pandemic.
In October, a rally organised by the Friends saw over 200 local mums and residents come together against the closure of the Birthing Centre. Moreover, a petition that has been set up on Nusrat’s website has already gained nearly 4,000 signatures. If you are a local mum-to-be, please sign it to send a message to the NHS Trust that there are women who would use the Birthing Centre but are denied the option. Sign the petition here: www.nusghani.org.uk/birthingcentre.
The decision on opening the Centre will be taken this month. Nusrat has secured a further meeting with the Chief Executives for them to confirm exactly how will the data be used and assessed in decision-making.
Nusrat Ghani said: “This is a big month for the Crowborough Birthing Centre. The Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust will be making decisions on opening the centre, so the next couple of weeks will require a lot of intensive campaigning, data collection and meetings with the NHS Trust and Integrated Care Board, which I am convening on behalf of the local community. The Birthing Centre is a key community asset, run by a dedicated team of experienced midwives. I know how valued it is by our local community and it is absurd that the Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust closed a best-in-class service, which is being requested by pregnant mums in the area. I am grateful to the Friends of Crowborough Hospital for their tireless work on this matter, and to everyone who joined the protest and signed my petition, especially mums and expectant mums who are directly impacted by the closure. I have always supported the Crowborough Birthing Centre in the past and I will fight for it until the end. If you haven't already, please sign my petition and share it with your friends and family."
