Somerset MPs unite to oppose Yeovil Hospital maternity services closure
A number of politicians have branded the move as "disgraceful"
Last updated 6th Jun 2025
Somerset’s MPs have united to criticise the “disgraceful” closure of Yeovil Hospital’s maternity services.
The Somerset NHS Foundation Trust announced on May 12 that it would be closing Yeovil Hospital’s special care baby unit (SCBU) for a minimum of six months from May 19, following numerous concerns raised in an inspection of the hospital’s paediatric services by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in January.
Adam Dance, the Liberal Democrat MP for Yeovil, has fiercely opposed the closure, staging a protest outside the hospital as the decision came into force and vowing to do everything possible to reopen the facility.
Somerset’s other MPs have now rallied around Mr Dance in a House of Commons debate, calling on the government to review the decision and work with the trust to reopen the service as soon as possible.
The government has said it would work with local health bosses to address the problem and was committed to tackling more widespread issues with staff recruitment and a lack of consultation with local residents.
Mr Dance – who also represents South Petherton and Islemoor on Somerset Council – began the adjournment debate on Tuesday evening (June 3) by praising the hospital’s “fantastic” staff for their “hard work” leading up to the closure.
He added: “The temporary closure of the SCBU means that the hospital will also be unable to safely provide care during labour and birth at the maternity unit, meaning that the unit is effectively closed.
“Care of pregnant people due to give birth will now be transferred to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester, the Royal United Hospital in Bath or Salisbury Hospital.”
Mr Dance said that senior leaders at the trust had “been unable to give assurance” that the service could reopen in early-2026, adding: The safety of mothers and their babies must come first, but the way in which the decision was reached and implemented has been disgraceful.
“It has created huge fear and anger in Yeovil and may put people’s health at risk.
“The hospital trust’s leadership team says that high levels of sickness among senior hospital staff caused gaps in the rota, but I have been informed that those staff are off sick because of work-related stress that was reportedly caused by a lack of support, a toxic work culture and bullying from management. That is not good enough.”
Mr Dance added that there had been “a lacklustre attempt at recruitment” following the CQC inspection, leaving the hospital relying on locum staff.
Yeovil Hospital saw around 1,300 births in the last year – the equivalent of nearly four a day.
He added: “It is an insult that the hard-working staff knew about the closure only six days before it was due to happen.
“Some of them were told on Teams and others found out on social media—that is not how to treat staff.
“It is a disgrace that expectant parents were given such short notice and that the hospital trust did not provide them with advanced and detailed information about the temporary closure.”
Rachel Gilmour MP (Lib Dem, Tiverton and Minehead) said that closing Yeovil’s maternity unit would lead to more pressure on health services in the Devon part of her constituency.
She said: “I was lucky enough to have had my first two sons at the old Tiverton hospital.
“I am sure that people not being able to go to Yeovil Hospital to give birth will push down – literally – into Tiverton Hospital, but I remind my honourable friend that there was an incident a couple of years ago when one of my constituents delivered her fifth child in a pub car park, because Tiverton Hospital did not have the capacity to take her in.”
Sir Ashley Fox (Conservative, Bridgwater) said there was “grave concern” about whether Musgrove could handle the additional births given the parlous state of its own maternity services.
He said: “Mothers across Somerset will suffer as a result of this closure.”
Gideon Amos MP (Lib Dem, Taunton and Wellington – who was not present for the debate) has been pushing for Musgrove’s maternity unit to be rebuilt as part of the delayed new hospital programme, with work not expected to begin on any substantial projects until 2033.
Mr Dance echoed these concerns, describing Musgrove’s unit as “traumatic, super-hot and overcrowded”.
He added: “Expecting that overstretched service safely to take on extra cases from Yeovil is not realistic and risks putting even more pressure on the hard-working staff, who are already at breaking point.
“It is not just parents and paediatrics who are at risk; I am seriously concerned about the knock-on effects on Yeovil’s emergency department, which will potentially put more strain on the hospital and on patient care.
“Sadly, constituents who were hoping to have children have told me that they are now reconsidering because of the stress and risks posed by potentially not having proper maternity services in Yeovil.”
Mr Dance called on the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) to review the trust’s decision-making process – a request echoed by Anna Sabine (Lib Dem, Frome and East Somerset) in light of other services it operated in her constituency being under threat.
She said: “The trust made a decision recently to reduce the number of beds and associated staff at Frome Community Hospital.
“Those decisions really need wide consultation, allowing for boundaries and relationships with hospitals such as the RUH, as well as proper consultation with staff and the community before they are undertaken.”
Mr Dance concluded by saying: “I urge the DHSC to do all it can to maintain and support NHS Somerset in ensuring the return of safe maternity services to Yeovil Hospital.
“Just as with the closure of its hyper-acute stroke unit, many worry that this is a sign that Yeovil Hospital will be turned into a cottage hospital.
“People in Yeovil are not just worried; they are scared and angry. We care deeply about supporting our fantastic NHS staff and the lifesaving work that they do.”
Sarah Dyke MP (Lib Dem, Glastonbury and Somerton) added: “The trust’s decision is a damning indictment of how our health services have been treated, and how they have been run into the ground following the Conservatives’ regular cuts.
“I have had many examples of residents contacting me, including Ben. He and his wife are from Martock, and are expecting their first child in September.
“They have planned a home birth with support from the Yeovil midwifery team. They can still access those services, but if complications arise, they will no longer be able to rely on Yeovil Hospital services, which are only a 15-minute drive away.
“They will have to go a lot further, driving at least 45 minutes to access Taunton, Royal United hospital, Dorchester or Salisbury. We need clarity now. Our residents deserve that.”
Karin Smyth MP, the minister of state for secondary care, said she had already met representatives from the trust and the NHS Somerset integrated care board (ICB) to discuss the issue.
Ms Smyth – the Labour MP for Bristol South – said: “I know, having given birth to three children myself, that choosing where to give birth and the planning of that journey, as has been outlined, is incredibly important for women.
“We are determined that all women are given choice over their care and are listened to and supported with compassion.
“In some situations, such as this one, NHS providers may need to make a temporary service change due to a risk to the safety or welfare of patients or staff.
“The trust has had one-to-one conversations with affected women and families to help them with alternative plans, which have been supported by Somerset Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership.
“I appreciate that that is very disruptive and personally distressing for staff who have been working in a unit and need to know where to go, but emergency situations sometimes necessitate things not being done as robustly as might be desired.
“Local leaders have assured me that this closure is not intended to be permanent – that is very important for honourable members and their constituents to understand.
“The trust is committed to reviewing the position in three and six months, and following the three-month review, the Somerset ICB will provide an update in September.
“Finally, once a decision is made, any permanent change would need to be based on clear evidence of better outcomes for patients.”
Ms Smyth said she hoped “detailed conversations” between the trust and Somerset’s MPs would continue, and stated the government was determine to make it easier for hospitals to recruit and retain staff to prevent similar closures in the future.
She said: “We are committed to tackling staffing challenges that the NHS faces, such as this one.
“For the maternity workforce, NHS England is undertaking a programme of targeted retention work for midwives.
“Any change in NHS services must be made with the utmost sensitivity to local views, while also prioritising safety.”