Policy
Rise in NHS birth centre closures ‘shocking’ denial of women’s rights, experts say
The Guardian · By Denis Campbell Health policy editor ·
The Brief
- Twelve midwife-led maternity units in England have closed since 2019.
- Six of those closures happened after Labour came to power in 2024.
- Experts quoted by The Guardian call the closures a "shocking" denial of women's right to have a midwife rather than a doctor oversee their care.
Why it matters
Fewer midwife-led birth centres narrow the choice of where and how women in England can give birth, which matters for anyone planning or receiving maternity care.
Who’s affected
- Women giving birth in England
- NHS maternity services
- #nhs
- #maternity care
- #birth centres
- #midwifery
- #england
Twelve midwife-led maternity units have closed in England since 2019 with six closing since Labour came to power in 2024 NHS officials are shutting growing numbers of birth centres in a “shocking” denial of a woman’s right to have a midwife rather than a doctor oversee their…