Maternity

Changes to Maternity Services

From 9am on Monday 5 August 2019 a new model of maternity care came into operation with the opening of a new midwifery-led birthing centre at South Tyneside District Hospital. The centre offers more choice on where to give birth for local women across South Tyneside and Sunderland.

The Trust is introducing the changes following an extensive public consultation process carried out by South Tyneside and Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Groups in 2017.

This means that from the 5 August women who have a low risk pregnancy which is problem-free now have the option of:

• giving birth at home
• giving birth at the new midwifery-led birthing centre at South Tyneside District Hospital
• giving birth under midwifery-led care at Sunderland Royal Hospital, which is within the consultant-led maternity unit
• giving birth at another maternity unit of their choice in the region

Women who have a high risk pregnancy, for example if they are expecting twins, if their baby is in the breech position, or if they have experienced complications in their current pregnancy or a previous pregnancy, will be advised to give birth in our consultant-led maternity unit at Sunderland Royal Hospital, which is rated amongst the best in the NHS according to the latest Care Quality Commission maternity survey.  

All antenal and postnatal care will continue to be offered locally, as it is now.