Northampton General Hospital has been awarded £480,000 to improve maternity services, the Government will announce today.
The money will be used to develop a new midwife-led unit at the hospital to offer expectant mums a “home-from-home environment” for those wanting a home birth.
Instead they will be given the chance to have a birth inside the new unit, which will include a birthing pool suite as well as the creation of three four-bed bays with en-suite facilities.
Currently, the choices for place of birth in Northampton are limited to a busy obstetric labour ward or at home.
More than 100 hospitals will share a £25 million fund to improve and upgrade their maternity units, Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter will announce.
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