Staff shortages force Hillcrest Maternity Unit in Alnwick to send patients to Cramlington out of hours

Staff shortages across Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust are resulting in reduced service hours at the Hillcrest Maternity Unit in Alnwick.
By Craig Buchan
Published 25th May 2023, 12:49 GMT
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Data for March 2023 shows that 72% of the daytime hours that the trust wanted to have registered nurses on shift were staffed, meaning over a quarter were not. The rate of filled registered nurse shifts at night was 84%.

According to a report from a trust director’s ‘walkabout’ of the unit, staff shortages are the cause of reduced opening hours at Hillcrest Maternity Unit.

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The report was presented at Northumbria Healthcare’s public board meeting this week.