Nicholas Soames, Mid Sussex’s MP, visited the Princess Royal Hospital’s Maternity Services on Monday 19th January, together with Duncan Selbie, the Chief Executive of the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Speaking after the visit Nicholas said; “I was really pleased to visit the PRH’s maternity ward and I am really thrilled on behalf of all my constituents and of all those who have campaigned so hard with the Support the Princess Royal Hospital Campaign, and all those living in the wider area and to say that I am absolutely confident that these maternity services will now be retained in perpetuity.”

After meeting mums, babies, doctors, midwives and administrators, Nicholas said; “Retaining these services is really vital to our community; this means retention of the consultant-led obstetrics service and the nurse-led neonatal service, on a networked basis with Brighton, and, as now, with Brighton taking the highest risk mums. This is as it is today. The midwives operate as a single team between the PRH and Brighton but the obstetricians do not and it is this that is being changed with an increase from 11 to 14 consultants over the course of 2009.”

“I am proud to have such an excellent service in my constituency recognised as some of the best performing maternity services nationally with neo-natal outcomes that are the best in the UK. We should all be very grateful for the work done by Duncan Selbie to formally bring all this about and I look forward to the PCT giving their formal approval to this wonderful service.”