Mum gives birth in ambulance in car park because 'hospital didn't have midwife'
A baby was born in a hospital car park after being turned away from one hospital.
Sally West, 36, had booked into Malton Hospital in North Yorkshire for the birth.
But when she went into labour she was told there weren't enough midwives.
Scroll down for more ...
Sally, Clive and babyPhoebe, who was born in an ambulance in a hospital car park
Sally and her partner, Clive Mison, 58, were told to phone 999 for an ambulance and go to Scarborough, 20 miles away.
Her healthy baby, Phoebe, was born in the ambulance in the hospital car park.
Clive Milson, a painter and decorator, missed the birth because he was following the ambulance in his car.
"It's easy to lose a life in a situation like this. I thank my lucky stars that our little girl was delivered safe and well, even if it was in the back of an ambulance," he said.
He was full of praise for the paramedic crew.
"I'm speaking out because others might not be as fortunate and it's all for the sake of saving money. They are gambling with people's lives.
"We are the fourth richest country in the world and if the Government cannot give priority to the health of the nation, then we have a grave problem."
Mr Milson has three grown-up children. "And two of them were born in Malton hospital.
"They have excellent facilities at the local maternity unit - what's the point in travelling miles away to have a baby when you can have it in your home town?
"The vast amount of money that is being pumped into the NHS seems to be swallowed by management and only a trickle filters through to the grassroots.
"Malton maternity unit should not be closed, if anything the Government should be pumping more money into local services.
"Now people have to travel further and further for medical attention. How can this be providing better care?"
Last year managers from Scarborough NHS Trust, which runs the maternity unit in Malton, announced they plan to axe deliveries in the hospital.
Gilly Collinson, spokeswoman for Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust, said: "We are glad that baby arrived safely but we were sorry that staffing levels didn't enable the birth to take place at Malton Hospital.
"The plan for the future is to have a high quality home-from-home unit at Scarborough Hospital which we believe will give all mums the greater opportunity of enjoying a midwife-led birth.
"Unfortunately babies do sometimes arrive quicker than anticipated but we are glad this story did have a happy ending."
Mr Milson and Ms West also have a three-and-a-half year old son. "It's wonderful having a new baby," Mr Wilson said. "It's like a dream and her big brother is delighted. I'm just glad nothing went wrong."
Mum gives birth in car park because 'hospital didn't have midwife' | the Daily Mail
Mum gives birth in ambulance in car park because 'hospital didn't have midwife'
- Twitchy2.0
Linear Mode
