Gradual Decline of Rochdale Maternity Services

Posted By: Liz Thirsk
Date Posted: 02/09/2007

No diaries for months and now two in a week.
I just have to share with you my own personal experience of our maternity service at the Rochdale Infirmary.
My daughter-in-law is now six days overdue with what all the midwives have said is a big baby.
She is extremely uncomfortable and getting lots of pain related to the size of the baby.
On Friday at the ante natal clinic, she was examined by a nurse who said she could not locate the baby’s head. A doctor was called and he straight away said that the head was perfectly located for an imminent birth.
He advised my daughter-in-law to come back to hospital straight away if she felt any more pains as in his opinion she was already in slow labour.
On her way out of the department, she was presented with her medical records and told “don’t just turn up here, call first because we are very busy and probably won’t be able to deal with you this weekend”.
Yesterday after a very restless night my son phoned Rochdale and was told to take her to Fairfield.
On arrival at Fairfield and after telling the story of the day before, they were told that the doctor is wrong; he is a doctor not a midwife.
Today I am trying desperately to reassure a very frightened couple about the safe delivery of their baby.
I have told my son to call an ambulance; his car is not insured to be used as ambulance.
Now, to get to my point
Has the maternity facility at Rochdale been wound down slowly over the years of “consultation” Was it in fact a fait accompli.
I don’t remember any of this 5 years ago when my granddaughter was born at Rochdale.