THE Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust is to extend the temporary suspension of birth services at Okehampton and Honiton birth centres for a further three months.

Good progress has been made to recruit staff into vacancies within the wider Maternity Service, but ongoing staff sickness and high patient demand in the acute unit in Exeter means the Trust has not yet been able to reach acceptable staffing levels.

As a result, the Trust is continuing to suspend birth services at the sites to ensure patient safety and quality is maintained across the maternity service.

The extension means that women will not be able to give birth at either site for a further three months. The Trust will review the suspension again in April.

All antenatal and postnatal clinics, midwifery support and home birth services at both sites are unaffected and running as normal.

Both Birth Centres are open for clinics and midwife care and support from 8am to 8pm, seven days-a-week.

Outside of these hours women should call the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital’s main maternity triage service on telephone 01392 406616.