Yeovil MP calls review into maternity services 'disappointing'
A three-month review has been published into the temporarily-closed maternity services at Yeovil District Hospital
Last updated 19th Aug 2025
Yeovil and South Somerset's MP Adam Dance is calling it 'disappointing for many families' amid the publication of a three-month review into the temporarily-closed maternity services at Yeovil District Hospital.
Today (19 August), the NHS Trust say they are making progress on getting the site reopen, all whilst 'designing a Somerset-wide paediatric service to provide equitable services across the county'.
'No clear detail'
Adam Dance said: “The latest statement from Somerset NHS Foundation Trust will be disappointing for many families in South Somerset.
"While it confirms that a review is taking place, it does not provide the clear detail people are desperately waiting for about when and how Yeovil’s maternity services can safely reopen.
“I do welcome the news that more paediatricians are being recruited, as this is essential to fixing the fragility in the service, but local parents and midwives need much greater transparency and reassurance.
"I will continue to press the Trust and ministers for clear answers, a timeline for reopening, and a firm commitment to maternity care in Yeovil.”
The three-month review
In their three-month review, the Trust have thanked everyone 'for their understanding, support and hard work during this period of upheaval'.
Bosses have confirmed their commitment to providing a formal review of the temporary closures after three and six months.
Impact of temporary closures
They said: "Since the start of the temporary closures on 19 May up until the end of week beginning 11 August, 212 babies have been born who would have been born at YDH.
"90 were born at Musgrove Park Hospital, 96 were born at Dorset County Hospital, 5 at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, 5 were born in other hospitals, 16 were born at home.
"We know that these temporary closures have had a big impact on all of our service users and on our colleagues.
"We are continuing to work with Dorset County Hospital and the independent Somerset Maternity and Neonatal Voices partnership to support service users, and with our colleagues to support them."
Progress to reopening
Bosses added: "We are addressing concerns about the safety, quality and fragility of the paediatric service at YDH so that we can safety reopen SCBU and inpatient maternity services.
"As part of this, we are designing a Somerset-wide paediatric service to provide equitable services across the county, with services provided at both YDH and MPH.
"We are recruiting consultant paediatricians to work across both sites and have shortlisted a number of strong candidates. In addition, from September, paediatric resident doctors will also work across both sites.
"This is a very challenging time, but we are confident that we can build a stronger, more sustainable and future facing service for babies, children and young people in Somerset.
"We will update further once the three-month review process is concluded."
This all comes after they took the 'difficult decision' to close the SCBU and inpatient maternity services at YDH from 19 May for an initial period of six months because of concerns about the safety, quality and fragility of the paediatric service at YDH.
Consultant paediatricians from Musgrove Park Hospital stepped in to work at both acute hospitals which enabled them to keep running inpatient and outpatient paediatric services.
They were not able to keep the SCBU open and they also had to temporarily close inpatient maternity services at YDH.
At the end of June, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published its reports into the paediatric services at both MPH and YDH, following its inspection in January.
The CQC rated the paediatric service at YDH as inadequate overall and the paediatric service at MPH as good overall.
The Trust now say their priorities are to provide an equitable service for babies, children and young people across Somerset, to recruit to key roles, and to ensure our paediatric services have strong governance processes and a positive learning culture.