ACCORDING to Ann Nash, Acting Director of Maternity Services, the bed occupancy rate of Devizes Maternity Unit is cause for concern.

This could be improved if the board could take into consideration liaising with Primary Care Trusts in south Wiltshire and give those women living on the Salisbury Plain area the opportunity to give birth in a midwife-led birthing centre such as Devizes.

Villages such as Shrewton and Tilshead are less than 30 minutes travelling time from Devizes, yet women in these villages are not even offered the choice of delivering there.

It may help the statistics if Devizes was offered as a choice for the women in these areas.

R DRAPER

Devizes