OPTIMISTIC plans to restore maternity services to Hemel Hempstead Hospital by autumn have been thwarted.

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Health Authority on Wednesday, June pledged to open a midwife-led unit at the hospital by the end of January next year.

The announcement comes just a month after a working group of midwives anticipated that a low-risk unit could be established by autumn this year.

A health authority spokesman admitted the delay was "frustrating" but insisted it was essential to ensure "a safe and sustainable" service for mums-to-be.

The controversial transfer of maternity services to Watford General Hospital was postponed several times before the move went ahead six weeks ago.

The decision based on concerns for safety at Hemel Hempstead's Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) due to severe staff shortages was first announced in October last year.

A low-risk unit would cater for deliveries that are not expected to encounter difficulties and would not include a SCBU.

An expectant mother from St Albans, who did not wish to be named, said uncertainty has caused many women to lose confidence in Hertfordshire's maternity services.

She said: "The situation keeps changing. Eight months ago we were told Hemel Hempstead's maternity unit was closing in December, then it was January, February, then it wasn't going to go ahead and finally it went ahead in April.

"Why should we now believe there will be a low-risk unit by January?"

Other nearby hospitals with maternity units such as the QEII in Welwyn Garden City and Luton and Dunstable were already full to maximum capacity, she claimed.

A taskforce set up to consider ways of re-introducing a birthing service to Hemel Hempstead requested a full report into the feasibility of a low-risk unit at a meeting earlier in June.

June 14, 2002 17:30