GAZETTE & HERALD: WEST Wiltshire Primary Care Trust said this week there was nothing unusual about the resignations of four midwives from Chippenham Maternity Unit.

Fears have been expressed that the midwives will not be replaced immediately. The Chippenham unit employs a total of 21 midwives and auxiliaries, some of whom work part time.

Vacancies in the midwife-led maternity units run by the trust are being kept open until decisions are made about Malmesbury and Devizes maternity units.

Those units are proposed to close to save money and women would transfer to Chippenham and Trowbridge maternity units.

The proposed savings of closing Devizes and Malmesbury would include the loss of 11.5 full time equivalent midwife posts.

Across the midwife-led maternity units in Wiltshire midwives are working extra shifts to cover staff shortages due to resignations and illness.

Jan Forsyth, chairwoman of Chippenham and District National Childbirth Trust, said: "I would be concerned to think that midwives at Chippenham would be expected to cover staff shortages on a long term basis while waiting for decisions to be made.

"I also hope that the midwives that are leaving Chippenham will be replaced as soon as possible."

Chippenham Mayor Desna Allen said: "Any loss of valuable midwives is quite serious and I do not want anything to happen that erodes the service. I hope they are going to be replaced."

A spokeswoman for the trust said: "Four midwives are leaving Chippenham. There is nothing unusual about it as it fits in with individuals' lifestyles and career opportunities. The four leaving are not full time and we are going to be replacing them.

"There isn't a definite freeze on vacancies. If there is no way that existing staff can cover staff shortages then we will take on staff."