The planned suspension of birthing services at North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple, effective from Tuesday, has been described by mothers-to-be as adding extra stress to their pregnancies.
The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust confirmed the closure, stating it was the "only safe course of action" due to staffing issues, despite "extensive efforts" to maintain services. Other services, including scans and antenatal outpatient clinics, will continue in Barnstaple.
One expectant mother, Kelci Hill-Meldrum, whose due date is the day after the closure, expressed concern about having to travel over an hour-and-a-half to Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital for triage, rather than the previous 20-minute drive. The Royal Devon and North Devon hospitals are approximately 55 miles (89km) apart.
Devon County Council's Health and Adult Care Committee is scheduled to meet on Monday, 17 August, to discuss the closure. Council leader Julian Brazil criticised the decision, highlighting that some remote areas of North Devon are a two-hour drive from Exeter without traffic.