Mum’s 70-mile journey to give birth

11:21am Thursday 15th May 2008

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WEEK-old Graceymai Walsh should have been born at the Royal Gwent Hospital - instead she came into the world more than 70 miles away, in Somerset.

Mum Surran Davies had to take a night-time ambulance journey to Yeovil District Hospital with partner Jamie Walsh following in his car, because the Royal Gwent's special care baby unit was full.

That was eight days ago, and while mum, baby and dad are back home in Pontywaun, Cross Keys, the situation at the Royal Gwent remains difficult.

A surge in multiple and premature births means the 20-cot unit has been full for much of the week, and remained full last night.

Mums-to-be whose pregnancies are deemed high risk, like Ms Davies' still face potential transfer to hospitals either side of the Severn because of the lack of special care cots at the Royal Gwent for their newborns, should they require them.

Hospitals in Bridgend, Llantrisant and Bristol have also admitted Gwent women.

While full of praise for treatment and care at Yeovil, Mr Walsh believes it is "ridiculous" that an initial five-mile trip from Ponytwaun to Newport ended in a hospital 77 miles from home.

"It leaves you wondering what you pay taxes for," said the self-employed tiler.

"Surran's waters broke on the Wednesday morning and we were most of the day at the Royal Gwent. Then because she was high risk because one of her previous children was born prematurely, we were told she had to be transferred."

They arrived at Yeovil at 11.40pm after a journey of more than an hour. Gracie May, Ms Davies' fourth child, was born at 4.37am on Thursday May 8, without complications.

"I had to buy a car seat and lots of other supplies in Yeovil because I couldn't come back home, but they're both fine," said Mr Walsh.

"Luckily they found me somewhere to sleep at Yeovil hospital, otherwise I'd have had to find a bed and breakfast. It's ridiculous."

The situation at the Royal Gwent was highlighted by Torfaen AM, Lynne Neagle, in the Assembly. She wants an urgent debate on neo-natal care in Wales.

"It is deeply worrying that women facing complicated pregnancies are being ferried to other hospitals at short notice," she said.

• Are you a mum who has been transferred from the Royal Gwent? Call 01633 777134.