Announcing his decision, Mr Hunt said as well as the proposal to introduce midwife-led services at the Friarage, other options could also be included for consideration by the public.
The preferred option of NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), is to replace overnight children's care with a day care assessment unit, and to have midwife-led maternity services instead of consultants.
The preferred option of NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is to replace overnight children's care at the Friarage with a day care assessment unit, and to have midwife-led maternity services instead of consultant-led.
The trust is proposing to keep a consultant-led obstetric service and neonatal service at the Hastings and downgrade services at Eastbourne by having a midwife-led unit at the hospital.