REPORT OF THE

HEALTH OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

PART II

MATERNITY SERVICES IN SOUTHEAST HAMPSHIRE

1. Proposals for changes to maternity services in Portsmouth and Southeast Hampshire by Portsmouth Hospitals Trust, Portsmouth City Teaching Primary Care Trust and East Hampshire and Fareham and Gosport Primary Care Trusts have been being considered by a Joint Committee consisting of Councillors from Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council and the Isle of Wight Council.

2. The initial proposals were for the transfer of maternity services from St. Mary's Hospital, Portsmouth to Queen Alexandra Hospital and consideration revolved around whether there should be a co-located service at Queen Alexandra Hospital as currently exists at St. Mary's Hospital or whether there should be a stand alone birthing unit on Portsea Island with the main obstetrics unit being transferred to Queen Alexandra Hospital.

3. Following a full scrutiny process the Joint Committee favoured the stand alone birthing unit on Portsea Island and requested that the Trusts provide a business plan to this event.

4. On 1 March 2006 the Joint Committee was presented with an option appraisal report on the future delivery of maternity services in Portsmouth and Southeast Hampshire which had been prepared by East Hampshire and Fareham and Gosport Primary Care Trusts on behalf of all of the Trusts involved. This appraisal covered all of the maternity/birthing units in southeast Hampshire - St. Mary's Hospital and the collocated Mary Rose Birthing Unit and Birthing Unite at Blackbrook, Fareham; Blake, Gosport and The Grange, Petersfield.

5. The options provided were:

a. Continue to provide a midwifery-led Birth Centre co-located with the Main Maternity Unit at Queen Alexandra Hospital (in the same way as currently at St. Mary's Hospital and the Mary Rose Birth Centre) with a number of stand alone Birth Centres (1 or possibly 2 stand alone centres)

b. Continue to provide a midwifery-led Birth Centre co-located with the main maternity unit at Queen Alexandra Hospital (in the same way as currently at St. Mary's Hospital and the Mary Rose Birth Centre) without any stand alone Birth Centres.

c. Continue to provide a number of stand alone Birth Centres(3) without the provision of a midwifery-led Birth Centre co-located with the Main Maternity Unit.

d. Continue to provide s choice of home birth or hospital birth but without the provision of standalone Birth Centres or a co-located Unit with the Main Maternity Unit.

6. The Trusts took the view that options b and d were not viable and the Joint Committee agreed with this.

7. The Joint Committee recommended that:-

a. All the options for the future delivery of maternity services identified by the NHS at this meeting would constitute a substantial variation of services under Section 7 of the Health and Social Care Act and should therefore be subject to a process of formal public consultation.

b. The options consulted upon should clearly and transparently outline the effect each model would have upon the current provision of services, should not include any which are not considered to be viable and should include the current delivery model.

c. It is unable to take a view on any of the options identified at the meeting or on any other possible future options until it has heard the views of patients and the public

d. It expects that previous commitments given by the local NHS to take account of Portsmouth City PCT's plans to develop a Full Business Case for a stand alone birth centre on Portsea Island to be fully reflected in any proposals that are taken forward, and made clear in the above mentioned public consultation.

8. This supports Aims 1,4 and 5 of the Corporate Strategy.

DR. R.J. ELLIS

Chairman.