The maternity unit at Ealing Hospital will close as soon as possible, it has been confirmed by the borough’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Ealing CCG’s governing body agreed the earlier closure, which could be as soon as March 2015, in a meeting held yesterday (October 9).

Oliver New, Chair of Ealing Save Our NHS, said the CCG’s decision was predictable despite the fact the unit’s record is excellent and one of the alternative maternity units, at Northwick Park Hospital, was recently criticised by the Care and Quality Commission.

He said: “Women in Ealing will now have to cope with maternity services from outside the borough. 

Eve Turner from Ealing Save Our NHS added: “This is a dreadful decision from the point of view of women in Ealing.

“The proposed replacement maternity services will be a dogs dinner compared to the fantastic service which we have now, with its brand new birthing unit being scrapped at a huge cost.”

The CCG say the decision to close the unit, made in February 2013 and part of the Shaping a Healthier Future programme designed to improve NHS services for north west London, was due to an increasing birth rate and a rise in the number of women with complex healthcare needs during pregnancy.

They said the need for increased consultant presence in order to reduce maternal mortality and poor outcomes could be solved by consolidating specialists into fewer units.

Leader of Ealing Council, Julian Bell, said: “This decision driven by financial reasons is another blow to Ealing.

“It cannot be right to close a newly refurbished maternity unit that cost tax payers £2 million when our birth rate has increased by over 30 per cent in the last 10 years.

“Having to give birth outside the borough will increase the risks and dangers to mothers and babies as they travel further. We will continue to fight to the bitter end against this mad and bad decision.”

Dr Mohini Parmar, Ealing GP and Ealing CCG Chair, said: “Having heard the clinical evidence, Ealing CCG Governing Body has unanimously agreed to move forward with planning the transfer of maternity and interdependent services from Ealing Hospital as soon as possible.

“These plans are about improving care for women across north west London and we can do this by increasing consultant cover and investing in six maternity units rather than the current seven.

“It is important to note that no decision on the timing of these changes has been made. The final decision will only be made when we have full assurance from all the Trusts, which will look after Ealing mothers and children in the future.

“We will work with all the CCGs and Trusts to get the necessary services in place and assurance we need to ensure the safe transfer of services.”