THE Grange Birth Centre seems set for a full return in Petersfield and midwife chiefs are urging families to "use it or lose it" in order to make it a success. Although official figures had yet to be tallied up, it was claimed that a massive 84 per cent had already voted in favour of The Grange, which could be open to offer 24-hour care by April 2008. Plans have been ongoing for the facility to offer a more comprehensive service and Tuesday night saw the fourth Save the Grange public meeting, held at The Studio, The Petersfield School and chaired by East Hampshire MP Michael Mates, who told the hundred-plus members of the public in attendance, "We have pushed the door wide open". Consultation on the future of maternity services in East Hampshire ends on October 31, but the early signs are that the Hampshire Primary Care Trust's decision would be good news for supporters of The Grange. HPCT asked the public to choose from four options to choose:
l Blake, Gosport; The Grange, Petersfield and a unit at St Mary's Hospital (moving to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham from 2009).
l Blake, Gosport; Blackbrook, Fareham and a unit at St Mary's Hospital (moving to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham from 2009).
l Blake, Gosport; The Grange, Petersfield and Blackbrook, Fareham.
l The Grange, Petersfield, Blackbrook, Fareham and a co-located unit at St Mary's Hospital (moving to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham from 2009).
The centre, based in Swan Street, was forced to close in 2005 due to staff shortages and a lack of funding, but Hampshire Primary Care told anxious Petersfield mothers that they were in much better shape now, with a large number of midwives now applying for jobs at Portsmouth-based hospitals. Many in attendance wanted their faith restored in The Grange, which had re-opened in a limited capacity in October 2006, and an assurance that what had happened in the past would not happen again. Petersfield GPs warned that April next year was too late to persuade current pregnant women to give birth in Portsmouth Hospitals. Head of Midwifery at Portsmouth hospitals NHS Trust Donna Ockendon said: "The future of the birth centres will be decided by the choices women make about where they wish to birth." She said the success of the birth centres would rely on Portsmouth Hospitals and Hampshire Primary Care Trust working in partnership. In looking to the future the representatives of Portsmouth Hospital's and HPCT said marketing, including a website, would be a key in ensuring the revamped Grange could be a success this time. Ms Ockendon said: "We are working with midwives to make sure that they stay local and work with local women to ensure that what we do becomes a success. "Birth centres have to be about more than birth. The Grange would be also be a centre of post and ante-natal care. A minimum of 250 births per year would make the centre a success." Recent figures have shown that almost 600 women in East Hampshire last year gave birth using an alternative to Portsmouth Hospitals. Ms Ockendon said: "We'd like to see those women come back. What we want to see is a busy and vibrant Grange. "The care that is available is world class, in the past we haven't been that good at shouting about the good news." Mr Mates said: "People want to know they will be safely looked after in a safe environment. Everyone in this room would be delighted to have 24-hour care in Petersfield." Sarah Roberts of the Save The Grange campaign said: "We are delighted to support option one, providing quality service. "It's what we've been campaigning about for the past two years. "We feel it is vital that The Grange is to open 24/7. We do not want it to open and shut. We hope people will begin to trust it and believe in it. "We totally believe that The Grange has to be used to maintain it. Let's get it open 24/7, let's keep it open 24/7, and let's give it time to work." Deputy chief executive for Hampshire Primary Care trust Richard Samuels said: "We have tried to listen. We will deliver a solution acceptable to the population." Uncertainty over a suitable birthing location has meant half of pregnant women are currently choosing not to use local stand- alone birth centres for birth or post-natal care, said Alex Berry (director of commissioning for Hampshire Primary Care Trust). She said: "To have three birth centres instead of four means a change is required. Option one is the most affordable and accessible."