Northern Ireland

Trust should have tried harder for expectant mummies, says pregnant woman on maternity changes at Causeway Hospital

Amy Gault from Ballymoney is 31 weeks pregnant with her second child.
Amy Gault from Ballymoney is 31 weeks pregnant with her second child. Amy Gault from Ballymoney is 31 weeks pregnant with her second child.
By Allan Preston

AN expectant mother from Ballymoney has said the Northern Trust should have tried harder to retain full maternity services at the Causeway Hospital.

A decision to move all births in the Causeway to Antrim Area Hospital came into effect on Monday and followed a protest attended by hundreds in Coleraine on Saturday.

Families have been told that lower birth rates and difficulties in recruiting consultants at the Causeway were behind the change.

Antrim Area Hospital will now have extra capacity to meet the demand, but Causeway will retain and enhance other maternity services such as postnatal and antenatal clinics.

Attending Saturday’s protest was Amy Gault (33) who is 31 weeks pregnant with her second child.

She told the Irish News that having to change her preferred option of the nearby Causeway Hospital had been stressful.

“Everybody is worried about if we are going to make it in time,” she said.

“With my daughter Lottie (1), my waters broke suddenly before I was in labour, so I had to stay in the hospital

“So will they have enough beds to cope in that sort of situation?”

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Asked what she is most worried about personally, she said: “It’s that I could have my child on the way to Antrim Hospital.

“We are 40 minutes away from Antrim and it’s a lot more for other parents. Because this is our second, another worry is whether we will be able to get someone to keep our little girl at short notice.

“My husband (Dwayne, 41) is also self-employed as a digger, so today he’s away in the tractor. So he could be working further away some days which adds uncertainty.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a second or third-time mummy, you never know what’s going to happen with each baby.

“There could be complications and serious consequences. It’s worrying no matter what baby it is. For the people up above that thought this was a great idea, it’s not.”

Ms Gault said that she sympathised with the pressures facing the Northern Trust, but it was her belief more effort could have been made with Causeway Hospital.

“With all the money they’re putting into Antrim, they could have tried harder for the Causeway.

“This is our community, it’s lives we’re talking about. They could have tried harder in my opinion.”

In a statement on Monday, the SOS Causeway Hospital Campaign group also spoke of their “extreme disappointment” about how the withdrawal of the Fetal Assessment service from Causeway was communicated.

The group’s chairperson, Gemma Brolly, said: “This is something mothers have not yet been informed of. Those mothers who are part of our campaign will know, only because we asked the Trust directly on Friday and then told the public on Saturday of their decision to strip away this service, a service which is vital to our community.”

Before campaigners set off on Saturday, they had delivered tokens of thanks to the staff in Causeway Maternity.

Campaign committee member Adele Tomb added: “Myself and Gemma felt so emotional, walking down the corridor to silence instead of hearing the cries of newborn babies. 

“The staff themselves were very emotional and spoke of how tough it has been for the past few months. The beds all neatly made and a couple exiting the Fetal Assessment Unit when we were in,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Northern Health and Social Care Trust said: “All pregnant women currently in our care will receive individualised, tailored care and are assessed throughout their pregnancy with any necessary changes to their birth plans discussed and agreed with them.

“We provide women with information and advice on what they should do if they have any urgent concerns about themselves or their baby; it is not always the same action or outcome for every woman.

“There is an Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic at Causeway Hospital which operates daily, including weekends. Women can also contact a midwife 24/7 at Antrim Area Hospital’s Fetal Maternal Assessment Unit for advice and guidance.

“Every pregnancy is different and we will ensure that women are individually and clinically assessed before advising them on where they should attend for scheduled appointments or if they need urgent assessment.

“Our priority is the safety of women and babies in our care and we will continue to provide the highest standards of maternity care at both our Antrim and Causeway sites.

“Our maternity unit at Causeway Hospital remains open and will continue to provide early pregnancy assessment clinics, antenatal clinics and scheduled appointments.

“Preparations are also underway to provide enhanced antenatal clinics at Causeway Hospital so that pregnant women will have access to complex antenatal care. This means that some women will no longer have to travel to Antrim for antenatal appointments.”