East Yorkshire's only natural birth centre to remain closed
The only natural birth centre in East Yorkshire will not reopen after it was closed due to staff shortages.
The Jubilee Natural Birthing Centre, which is based at Castle Hill Hospital, was closed last July after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) expressed "major concerns" over staffing levels.
The Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Hospital Trust said a new midwife-led unit would open next January.
The new facility will be based at the Hull Women's Hospital.
Phil Morley, chief executive for Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said the decision would make "midwifery-led birth a more viable option for more women in our region."
He added: "Since it opened in 2002 we have never seen many more than 350 births a year, less than one a day, at the Jubilee Birth Centre.
"By moving the service to Hull Royal Infirmary we hope to see as many as 1,400 midwifery-led births per year."