Cheltenham General Hospital temporarily closes birth centre
Cheltenham General Hospital has announced the temporary closure of its birth centre.
Bosses said it will close for at least four weeks from 18 January - though this could be extended for up to eight weeks if existing pressures continue.
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said the closure will allow staff to treat other non-coronavirus patients, including those with cancer.
Parents who had booked to have their baby at the centre will be contacted in the coming days to discuss alternative arrangements.
In a statement, the trust said: “We have made the difficult decision to temporarily close the Aveta Birth Centre at Cheltenham General Hospital, from today.
“There are no plans to permanently close the birth centre. The centre will be closed initially for a four-week period, but potentially up to eight weeks if the pressures on the hospitals do not ease in the next month.”
Read more: