13:29 KEY EVENT

Statement from the Liverpool Women's Hospital

Dr Andrew Loughney, medical director at Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust, comments: “We would like to reassure patients and the general public that there is no threat to services here at Liverpool Women’s. A review of our services is underway which began when our midwives, doctors and nurses identified that the changing needs of women and babies means Liverpool Women’s needs to change too.





“Each year hundreds of women and babies are transferred by ambulance to other hospitals within the city because all of the care they need isn’t available at Liverpool Women’s. Although this is managed safely, it doesn’t offer women the best experience of care or meet national standards.





“During the summer, as part of the wider Healthy Liverpool programme, members of the public took part in meetings, surveys and events where they discussed the reasons why we need to change. Over 70% of those that took part said they agreed there is a clinical case for making changes, and a further 19% wanted more information to understand the issues more fully.





“Any significant change to our services won’t happen overnight, it is likely to take a few years – but it is important we start planning now to be ready for the future. There will be a 3-month consultation on any proposed changes, which we expect to take place from the start of 2017.”





More information is available at the following websites:

www.liverpoolwomens.nhs.uk