Yeovil District Hospital (YDH) is marking three months since the closure of its Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) and inpatient maternity services, with no clear timeline for reopening. The temporary closure began on May 19 for six months due to significant concerns about the safety, quality, and fragility of the paediatric services at the hospital.
Consultant paediatricians from Musgrove Park Hospital (MPH) have stepped in to support both acute hospitals, enabling continued inpatient and outpatient paediatric care. However, the SCBU remains closed, which has necessitated the closure of inpatient maternity services at YDH.
Since the closure, 212 babies who would have been born at Yeovil District Hospital were delivered at other locations: 90 at Musgrove Park Hospital, 96 at Dorset County Hospital, 5 at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, 5 at other hospitals, and 16 born at home.
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In its three-month review, YDH expressed gratitude to patients, families, and staff for their understanding and dedication during this challenging period. The hospital has committed to formal reviews at three and six months as part of the contractual agreement with NHS Somerset. The Integrated Care Board (ICB) is currently reviewing the impact and progress, with further updates to follow once conclusions are reached.
YDH is collaborating with Dorset County Hospital and the independent Somerset Maternity and Neonatal Voices partnership to continue supporting service users and staff as they work towards reopening. The hospital is actively addressing the safety and service quality issues by designing a Somerset-wide paediatric service to ensure equitable care across the county at both YDH and MPH.
Efforts include recruiting consultant paediatricians to work across the two sites, with promising candidates already shortlisted. From September, paediatric resident doctors will also rotate between sites to strengthen services.
Despite the challenges, YDH remains optimistic about building a stronger, sustainable future for maternity and paediatric care in Somerset. The hospital will provide further updates after the review concludes.
Earlier this year, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated YDH’s paediatric service as inadequate, while MPH received a good rating following inspections in January.
Local MP Adam Dance expressed disappointment over the lack of detailed reopening plans, emphasizing the need for greater transparency and assurance for families and healthcare workers. He pledged to continue pressing the Trust and government ministers for clear answers, a definitive timeline, and a solid commitment to restoring maternity services at Yeovil.