Maternity unit wins top award (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Maternity unit wins top award

MALMESBURY'S Maternity Unit has been been hailed as one of Britain's despite the fact health bosses have temporarily closed it because of a lack of staff.

The unit was awarded a runner -up spot in the National Childbirth Trust's Better Birth Awards on Friday, despite no one being allowed to give birth there this summer.

The unit is not due to open again until September 1.

It unit was selected from 157 by women across the country. Only a new birthing unit in Hemel Hempstead was rated higher.

A panel of judges from the architectural, midwifery and obstetric professions commended the Malmesbury unit because it put women and families' needs first.

Julianna Beardsmore, a teacher with the National Childbirth Trust, said; "The PCT should be celebrating in the success of one of their units but the longer the unit is closed the more it undermines it and the harder it will be to recruit women to go to it.''

Maternity campaigner Sarah Newman had her two sons Oscar, four and eleven-month-old Aaron at the Malmesbury unit.

Mrs Newman said: " I'm delighted it's a phenomenal achievement for the unit. It has won when there is so much uncertainty over its future.''