Expecting mums in Macclesfield have had local maternity services stripped from them for the past 23 months.

Next month, will mark two years since in-person maternity services were ceased at Macclesfield District General Hospital.

Now, Macclesfield MP David Rutley has called for the our town's maternity unit to be reopened at the earliest opportunity.

It was temporarily suspended at the height of the pandemic in March 2020, with pregnant women since having to travel further afar for face-to-face prenatal care.

Leighton, Stepping Hill and Wythenshawe hospitals have been frequented by Macclesfield mums, for the care they used to get in our town.

These hospitals are 24, 13 and 16 miles away from Macc respectively.

It is the second time in sixth months that Macclesfield's parliamentarian has pressed healthcare decision makers to allow the services to reopen, having previously spoke to Nub News about it in October 2021.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Mr Rutley said: "When the maternity unit was temporarily closed the public trusted East Cheshire NHS Trust's Board, which runs Macclesfield Hospital, to do what was needed in response to the pandemic and they also put their trust in the Board's continued commitment to reopening the maternity unit when we had got through the worst of the challenges we faced with coronavirus.

"As we emerge from the pandemic, David is now calling on the Board to honour its commitment and set out plans to reopen the maternity unit, with a clear reopening date, as soon as possible."

David has claimed to have regular meetings with health leaders at East Cheshire NHS Trust to discuss the reopening of maternity services, following previous planned reopening dates having not been achieved, primarily due to further concerns about coronavirus.

East Cheshire NHS Trust CEO John Wilbraham had previously cited winter pressure and staff shortages for the lack of action on reopening.

The Trust's Board hopes to see the return of maternity services later this year, although no reopening date has been given.

East Cheshire NHS Trust they did not respond to Macclesfield Nub News' request for comment.

David said, "We are all very grateful for the fantastic work local doctors and nurses have done and continue to do in combatting coronavirus. However, as we move to more normal times and after nearly two years of temporary suspension of the maternity unit, it is vital that the East Cheshire NHS Trust Board urgently sets out its plans to reopen this much-valued service as soon as possible to provide greater certainty for local families – it is what they deserve."

It must be noted that home and community birth services are still continuing via staff from Macclesfield Hospital, it is pre-birth and birth services that have closed suffered due to coronavirus.

David Rutley has been Macclesfield's MP since May 2010.

A spokesperson for the 60 year old MP added: "Based on research from the House of Commons Library, it would appear that Macclesfield's maternity unit is one of a very small number of units which have been temporarily closed due to coronavirus.

"This is despite several other smaller maternity units across the country continuing to remain open during the pandemic – further highlighting the need for our own local high quality and award-winning maternity unit to be reopened now we are moving on from the pandemic."

Mr Rutley's opponents - Cheshire East Labour Party and Macclesfield Constituency Labour Party - have been contacted for comment.

Macclesfield: Are you a mum affected by our town's lacklustre maternity services?

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