FRUSTRATED Devon County Councillors have written a third letter to the government demanding their intervention in the ongoing closure of the maternity services at North Devon District Hospital.

Cllr Jess Bailey, the chair of the health and adult care scrutiny committee and Cllr Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, the cabinet member for Rural Affairs and Broadband, both at Devon County Council have been calling for government intervention on the prolonged closure.

In the letter, the two councillors stated: “It is incredibly disappointing that no help has been forthcoming from government for the women and babies of North Devon. Solutions have not been found locally by the NHS for this crisis and we need your intervention without delay. We urge you to use all your powers and influence available to enable the safe re-opening of the birthing service at North Devon District Hospital as a matter of urgency.

“We cannot allow this situation to continue with women facing a two hour drive to give birth. With winter approaching and no date for the reopening in place, the situation is becoming even more serious.”

The letter went onto describe the testimonies heard from members of the public at a special meeting of the Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee.

They said: “Women spoke with dignity, courage and honesty about the impact that the ongoing suspension of birthing services has had on them.

“Members heard compelling evidence of fear and uncertainty, the impact on women’s mental wellbeing, concerns about extended travel times to access maternity care, worries about reaching hospital safely while in labour, and the wider emotional and practical consequences of being required to travel significant distances at one of the most vulnerable moments in their lives.

“These concerns were reinforced by evidence presented by Devon’s Maternity and Neonatal Voices.”

The letter also calls on, in addition to supporting the urgent reopening of the services at North Devon District Hospital, that the government is more proactive in dealing with the challenges of significant workforce shortages.