The future of Andover's Birth Centre has been put in serious doubt.

The local NHS Trust has said it is not being used enough and has asked its executive management to come up with some options. They haven't ruled out closing the service.

The Winchester and Eastleigh NHS Trust say the Birth Centre is costing them too much money. They say, on average, four babies are born there each week which is about the same as in previous years. They have also said there are no signs that this will increase despite thousands of extra homes being built in Andover.

'Staffing remains a challenge'

The birth centre was closed at the end of last year for five months because of staff shortages. A report to the Board said: "Staffing remains a challenge, reflecting the national picture and the current staffing arrangement. Finances must also be taken into account and the Board is asked to consider the future sustainability of the current service model in light of the need to break even in 2010/11 and the current imbalance of resource.

"A staffing model, which was put forward by staff at the ABC and the wider maternity team, was implemented in April to try and make better use of the Trust's team of midwives across the two hospitals and the community. However, this new way of working proved impractical and also created safety risks - lone worker issues and no 24 hour midwife cover.

"The decision to revert to the former 24/7 midwife staffing arrangement has led to costs and also increased pressure on midwifery resource across the whole service. The Trust is financing midwife cover seven days a week at Andover which is not being used due to the numbers of births. This is in contrast to the higher levels of activity at the RHCH where there is an average of 51."

Figures show that the cost per birth at the Andover Birth Centre is £1,085 compared to a cost of approximately £518 at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester.

So now the Trust's executive management will take over with the aim of providing what they've described as: "A midwife service suitable for the local population that is financially sustainable."

Nothing has been ruled out including the complete closure of the Andover Birth Centre.

'Not making any assumptions'

Caroline Smith is the acting divisional general manager for family services at the Trust and said: "The Trust is committed to providing a midwifery-led birthing service and we now want to explore all the options available to enable us to deliver that.

When asked by Andover Sound if those options would include closing the Birth Centre she said: "I'm not making any assumptions and nor is the Trust at this moment. Part of this next phase of work is to look at everything that would be available to us. It would be wrong to draw any conclusions at this stage.

"We have to look at why it isn't being used enough. We've marketed the unit, we know it's very good and women who do give birth there like it. But if women aren't choosing it then we have to look seriously at what women want in relation to their place of birth."

'A setback' for Andover

North West Hampshire's MP has been commenting on the news. Sir George Young said: "It would be a setback. I hope that, whatever they do for births, they still keep it for anti-natal and post-natal checkups. As the local MP I want to see more services provided in the hospital and in the birth centre rather than fewer. Of course I think it would be sad if we had to step back and not carry out live births at the Birth Centre.

"I hope that through Andover Sound and the other media we can alert people to the risks that may face the birth centre and encourage people to make greater use of what I think is a first class facility with all the modern equipment with marvellous staff and I couldn't think of a better place for Andover women to have their babies.

"They have held open days in the past and it may be that the crisis that may confront it again will generate renewed interest in this facility and encourage people to go there and book it for their births so we can avert any threat that may be there."

Click play to listen to Ben McGrail's interview with Sir George.

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