MP Nus Ghani has set up a petition against NHS Trust plans to stop all births and inpatient facilities at Crowborough Birthing Centre from 2 October until May due to ongoing staffing shortages.
Community antenatal and postnatal services will continue at Crowborough Birthing Centre, inside Crowborough War Memorial Hospital, as normal say Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, which runs the unit.
They said it would transfer births to Tunbridge Wells Hospital and Maidstone Birth Centre in Kent, with facilities also available in Haywards Heath and Eastbourne.
A trust spokesperson said the closure was a "difficult decision" which would be "disappointing news for the people who are affected".
The statement read: "Our priority is to provide safe, high-quality and reliable maternity care for families, and we are working with partners across Kent and Sussex to look at how we deliver a long-term, sustainable service.
"Tunbridge Wells Hospital and Maidstone offer high-quality midwifery-led care with access to birthing pools, reflect our dedication to personalised care which supports each person's preferences."
Home births may also be an option following a home birth assessment, the trust said.
Ms Ghani, MP for Sussex Weald, said: “I was disappointed to receive the news that a decision has been made by the Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust to pause births at Crowborough Birthing Centre from next month until May next year. “Upon receiving this information, I have immediately contacted the Trust to request an urgent meeting, which has been confirmed for tomorrow, Friday, 12th September. I have also written to the Secretary of State for Health regarding the matter. “The Birthing Centre is a key community asset, run by a dedicated team of experienced midwives. I have always supported it in the past and I know from the amount of correspondence received overnight how valued it is by local mothers and the wider community. “Over the last 10 years, I have fought alongside The Friends of Crowborough Hospital many times against the Centre's closure and campaigned for its prompt reopening when poor, short-sighted decisions about the facility were made by the Trust, most notably during the Covid pandemic. “This situation is completely unacceptable, and I will be relaying your concerns and the strength of the feeling on this decision to the Trust tomorrow. “I have set up a petition on my website that you can sign so I can keep you updated on the outcome of the meeting. Join me in saving the Centre!”
Sign the petition here: www.nusghani.org.uk/birthingcentre
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