Closing a birthing unit: consulting service users and local communities
An NHS organisation in the north of England commissioned Olovus in January 2025 to provide expert support for the permanent closure of a local hospital birthing service.
The service was initially suspended on a temporary basis and had been closed for five years. When commissioners decided not to reinstate the service, the local Overview and Scrutiny Committee requested a public consultation before a final decision could be made. Maternity changes are often politically sensitive and can be emotional for the local population.
We used our experience of complex transformation programmes and our understanding of statutory frameworks to help NHS colleagues plan and prepare for the consultation. We provided advice and assurance to navigate complexities to minimise the risk of challenge to the process.
Our work started with a deep-dive into all the relevant documentation. This included:
- The case for change
- The consultation plan
- The survey questions
- The plan for public consultation
We checked all documentation against legal and regulatory frameworks and public consultation requirements to identify risks that informed our advice.
Between February and May 2025, consultation activities reached 954 people with experience of using maternity services, their partners, and local residents. We worked hand-in-hand with the client team supporting them throughout the process. We provided regular updates on the progress of responses, including a detailed six-week review and report of activity. This allowed colleagues to adapt and focus their resources to target areas requiring improvement.
We analysed the consultation feedback and set out the findings in a report for decision makers to take into consideration. The outcome was a public consultation process and report that our client, their partners, and stakeholders had confidence in.
Our client said:
“Working with Olovus was a pleasure. They were always accessible, approachable, and responsive. They gave us assurance of our processes and documentation, and an independent analysis of findings that gave confidence to internal and external committees. They were a trusted, professional, and friendly partner to work with.”
