Heatherwood maternity care to be slashed

Maternity services at Heatherwood Hospital are set to be cut despite an outcry from thousands of residents.

Inpatient care for people suffering from mental health problems is also set to move from Ascot to Slough, but the minor injuries unit will remain at Heatherwood, although a pilot unit is on its way to Maidenhead.

The Berkshire East Primary Care Trust recommended the changes on Friday in response to the results of its Right Care Right Place consultation.

Heatherwood currently offers non-consultant level staff for Caesarean sections and epidurals and there were fears that a move to a mid-wife led service will mean fewer women will want to go to Ascot. The only other option was to move all maternity services to Wexham.

A 3,000-strong petition called for no change to the service, but there was also criticism that investment was not even suggested.

For the full story, see our sister papers in the Express series this week.