Warwick Hospital can deal with extra demand for services

Warwick Hospital can deal with extra patients using its maternity and children’s services following cuts to these services in Redditch and Banbury, according to a senior figure at the hospital.

This week saw the closure of the Children’s Ward at Redditch Hospital while the maternity unit and special care baby unit appear to be under threat at the Horton Hospital in Banbury.

Lying between the two hospitals Warwick could see demand for such services increase as a consequence.

This week Wendy Jones, lead for women and children’s services at Warwick Hospital, explained that they could deal with extra patients using such services in Warwick.

“We have seen a decrease in our birth rate at Warwick over the past five years, which is in line with a national trend.

“In 2011 2,900 patients were using our maternity services and today that number is 2,600 so we know we have that extra capacity, in terms of number of beds and midwives, to take more people.

“There is also a maternity clinic at Shipston and an antenatal clinic at Alcester. With children’s services we do know that parents tend to stay with the same hospital where they received maternity services so in the future we may look at the expansion of paediatric services in Warwick and possibly in Shipston and Alcester.

“If I had young children my only concern would be the time it might take to reach services in Warwick, if you lived further away, though I think transport links between Warwick and the Redditch area are pretty good.

“I would like to reassure people that if they have any concerns over these issues that a local health professional will be able to offer advice.”