2026-08-16 – News – www.theguardian.com
Readers reflect on how hospital closures are putting pregnant women’s lives at risk
The situation facing pregnant women in Devon and Cornwall following the closure of North Devon district hospital is not unique (‘Babies will be born in laybys’: maternity cuts leave women with stark choices in Devon, 10 August). Many rural areas have already seen the distances travelled in labour increase due to the closure of local units over the past two decades. In south Cumbria, first-time deliveries are only available at Lancaster or Barrow-in-Furness. If you live in Ambleside, the distance to Royal Lancaster infirmary could be done in an hour, but you can face long delays due to traffic.
An ambulance may do it quicker, but there is often a two-hour delay before one becomes available. As someone who had to drive their partner to hospital following a heart attack, I am more than aware of ambulance delays in Cumbria.
