No sign of reopening date for Ingleside Birth Centre that has been closed for nine months

There is no confirmed date in mind to reopen the only birthing centre in Salford, a hospital trust has said. Ingleside Birth and Community Centre has been closed since January, due to the strain of Covid.

The pause on all ‘birthing activity’ at the site has now gone on for more than nine months with no end in sight. This means that the only option for expecting mums would be a home birth or at the hospital.

Ingleside is still open for those who choose to have antenatal appointments, scans and postnatal care there, meeting with the same team of midwives throughout pregnancy and beyond.

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Bolton NHS Foundation Trust explained that staffing pressures are the cause for this continued closure. They said the decision is ‘regrettable’ and is down to the shortage of midwives nationally.

A spokesman for the trust said: “This isn’t a decision we’ve taken lightly. We’re working with other providers of maternity services in Greater Manchester to be able to reopen Ingleside as a place of birth as soon as we are able to.”

Alternative options for pregnant women will be the Beehive Unit at Royal Bolton Hospital, which is usually recommended to pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancies who are aiming for a natural birth. The other option will be the Central Delivery Suite at Bolton Royal Hospital where care is led by an obstetrician and provided by a team of midwives.

The centre opened in 2018 and manages all births in the city - following the closure of the maternity unit at Salford Royal Hospital in 2017. The trust was asked about the long term future of the birthing