Yeovil Hospital has announced the temporary closure of its Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) and has suspended inpatient maternity services due to serious safety concerns affecting care for babies and children.
This decision follows a warning issued by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after a January inspection highlighted urgent improvements needed within the hospital’s paediatric services. In response, the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has acted swiftly to safeguard patient care.
Dr Melanie Iles, the trust’s chief medical officer, acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but emphasized it was necessary after detailed clinical assessment and consultations with NHS partners. “We sincerely apologize to the local community affected by these disruptions,” she stated.
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A critical shortage of senior paediatricians, exacerbated by unusually high staff sickness rates, has led to significant rota gaps. Although support from paediatricians at Musgrove Park Hospital has helped maintain some services, the trust confirmed it is unable to safely run the SCBU or provide safe maternity care for births at Yeovil under current circumstances.
“This impacts the inpatient maternity unit directly,” Dr Iles explained. “We cannot care for newborns needing SCBU services or safely support labour and delivery in Yeovil at this time.”
Starting from 5pm on Monday, May 19, all pregnant patients and birthing people will be redirected to alternative facilities including Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester, and the Royal United Hospitals Bath.
Despite these changes, Yeovil Hospital will continue to offer outpatient antenatal clinics, midwifery appointments, ultrasound scans, antenatal screening, and support for home births.
“We remain committed to providing safe, high-quality, and sustainable maternity services,” said Dr Iles. “These steps are necessary to address current concerns, and we appreciate the understanding of all those affected.”
The trust is collaborating with the Somerset Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership and neighboring NHS trusts to ensure care continuity. Patients with questions are encouraged to reach out to their midwife or contact the Somerset NHS helpline at 0300 303 6409.