Maternity services are facing disruption across the South East because ambulance staff are too busy dealing with spiralling coronavirus hospitalisations.
The East Sussex NHS Trust and Brighton and Sussex NHS Trust have both suspended services for home-births and their stand-alone midwife-led units because they cannot guarantee an ambulance can turn up if there is an issue.
Four other trusts all in Kent, one of the places worst-hit by England s second wave have also paused their home-births service for the same reason.
It comes as hospital chiefs warn hundreds of intensive care patients may have to be moved between regions to take the pressure off the most over-stretched wards.
UK COVID-19 Update: COVID Loves a Crowd , GPs Rebooking Second Jabs
medscape.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from medscape.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Pregnant women can now bring a partner for support at all stages
banburyguardian.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from banburyguardian.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Pregnant women allowed partner support at all times in updated NHS guidelines
Previously, it had been left to individual health trusts to draw up their own rules
Good news for those going through pregnancy (Image: PA Photo/thinkstockphotos)
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