Delay in reopening maternity unit

The maternity unit has been closed since November 2002

A hospital maternity ward, which health bosses closed temporarily almost a year ago because of a shortage of staff, still has no date to reopen.

The ward at Guisborough General Hospital on Teesside, closed on 17 November 2002, because it could not recruit enough midwives.

Mothers-to-be now travel 25 minutes to James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, to give birth.

Despite NHS trust bosses recruiting 19 extra staff, they say they still cannot be sure when it will open again.

An inquiry into the situation by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council urged South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust to reopen the ward "as soon as possible".

But trust bosses say they are still short of enough midwives to ensure patient safety at the site.

A spokeswoman for the trust said: "We originally shut Guisborough because we had 15 vacancies.

"We have managed to recruit 19 more staff. But because of other staff leaving we still have five vacancies.

"We are continuing to look at how we can retain midwives we already have and also at how job roles can be adapted."