Home Births Suspended Due to Staff Sickness

Home birth services across East Sussex have been temporarily suspended for a 24-hour period due to a significant increase in staff sickness. The East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust made the decision, which included births at the Eastbourne Maternity Unit, although no births were scheduled there for the day of the suspension. The trust emphasized that this is a short-term measure to ensure safe care.

The suspension was prompted by unexpectedly high rates of staff absence, exacerbated by prevalent seasonal illnesses like the flu. Despite these absences, the trust stated that routine staffing levels within its Eastbourne midwifery team are robust and sustainable. Available midwives are being flexibly deployed to maintain safe care standards across all maternity services.

All expectant mothers who might have been affected by the temporary suspension have been individually notified. The trust confirmed that no scheduled births were impacted by the staffing issues. Maternity services are expected to resume fully by Saturday morning, with all services planned to be operational.