Regrettably, due to the current pressures on our services because of COVID-19, we have had to take the difficult decision to pause all birthing activity at Ingleside Birth Centre in Salford with immediate effect.

This means that all pregnant people planning to birth their baby at Ingleside in the coming days and weeks will be offered alternative options.  Our midwifery team will be available to provide support in labour at the Royal Bolton Hospital site.

This is a temporary measure being taken to maintain high quality of care for our families.

Please note that the centre will remain open for all antenatal and postnatal appointments which will go ahead as normal.

We understand how disappointing this will be for some of our service users who had chosen to birth their babies at Ingleside and wish to reassure them that we will continue to support them to give birth at one of two other possible places:

• Beehive Unit, Royal Bolton Hospital – this option is usually recommended to pregnant people with uncomplicated pregnancies who are aiming for a natural birth. In labour you will be cared for by midwives and support staff with access to the various facilities, and if you or your baby need medical assistance this can be called immediately.

• Central Delivery Suite, Royal Bolton Hospital – care during birth is led by an obstetrician and provided by a team of midwives. Pregnant people who have experienced complications either during their current or in a previous pregnancy are recommended to birth their baby on our delivery suite.

These alternative locations still provide pregnant people with one-to-one midwifery care and the option to access facilities such as birthing pools.

Pregnant people who are booked for a home birth will be assessed on a case by case basis with the aim to support their birth choice wherever possible depending on the situation within the maternity and ambulance services at the time.

Anyone planning to give birth at Ingleside should continue to contact Maternity Triage on tel: 01204 390612 as previously advised if they have any concerns about their pregnancy or believe they are going into labour.

If service users have any questions or concerns about how this closure will affect their care then we would advise them to contact their community midwife, or phone tel: 01204 390023 and we can arrange for a midwife to phone them back.

This is not a decision that has been taken lightly and we will be reviewing the situation on a regular basis with the aim of reinstating the service as soon as possible.