NHS Leader Warns Up to 20 Maternity Units May Close for Safety

• Up to 20 maternity units in England may have to close to ensure safe care, an NHS leader warns.
• Maternity units delivering fewer than 2,000 babies a year may need to close, according to an NHS leader.
• The closures are due to shortages of doctors and rising caesarean section rates.
• Centralisation of services is considered inevitable to ensure safe care, says the NHS Alliance’s acute care director.
• Politicians must make key decisions to keep maternity services safe, according to the NHS Alliance’s acute care director.