Infirmary bucks trend on shortages

Rochdale Infirmary is bucking the national trend by having a full team of maternity consultants.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists claimed hospitals did not have enough consultants to deliver babies safely around the clock and look after women during childbirth because of a rising birth rate combined with a national shortage of around 500 consultants.

It said the ideal was a consultant on virtually every maternity unit day and night and warned lives could be put at risk unless consultants were prepared to provide out-of-hours cover.

A spokesman for the Pennine Acute Trust said: “Rochdale Infirmary has a full complement of obstetricians and gynaecologists - we currently employ five consultants at the Maternity Unit.

“The maternity unit at the Infirmary provides an excellent service for new mothers; we believe Rochdale Infirmary provides a service the people of Rochdale can be proud of.”