Update on Blossom Homebirth Service in Bedford

We would like to share an update about how our homebirth service in Bedfordshire will be delivered moving forward.

After a thorough review which included careful consideration of workforce capacity, service demand, staff and service user feedback and the need to provide a sustainable and high-quality maternity service, we will be returning to a model where homebirths are supported by our skilled and experienced community midwifery team, rather than by a separate, dedicated homebirth team. This also means the same model of service will be delivered across Bedfordshire and Luton.

This decision follows significant staffing challenges within the dedicated team, which led us to review how we could continue to provide a safe, consistent, equitable and sustainable homebirth service for local families.

Importantly, the homebirth service will continue to be available, and pregnant women’s / birthing people’s choice to have a homebirth is not affected. Women and birthing people who choose to give birth at home will still receive personalised, high-quality care from our community midwives.

We want to reassure everyone that this change will not affect the standard of care or the support our service users receive throughout their pregnancy and birth journey. Our priority remains providing safe, compassionate, equitable and individualised care — wherever the choice of birth is.

If you have any questions about planning a homebirth or your maternity care, please speak directly with your midwife or contact Hannah Summers, Maternity Outpatients Matron:

Telephone: 01234 355122 Ext: 5577

Mobile: 07917 514634

Email: Hannah.summers@bedsft.nhs.uk

Blossom Homebirth Service – Your Questions Answered

Can I still have a homebirth? Yes, absolutely. We continue to support homebirths as part of our maternity services. Your choice to give birth at home is not affected by this change.
What has changed? Homebirths in Bedford will now be supported by our community midwifery team, rather than a separate dedicated homebirth team. This is a return to the model we used previously.
Why has this change been made? We’ve experienced ongoing staffing challenges within the dedicated homebirth team. To ensure we can continue offering a safe, equitable and quality service, we’ve returned to delivering homebirths through our wider community midwifery team.
Will the care I receive change? No. You will still receive personalised, safe, and high-quality care from our experienced community midwives. They are fully trained and experienced in supporting homebirths.
I’ve already booked a homebirth — do I need to do anything? No. If you’ve already planned a homebirth, your care will continue without interruption. Your community midwife will talk to you about what this change means and answer any questions you may have.
Will there still be midwives available to attend my homebirth when I go into labour? Yes. We will continue to provide midwives to attend homebirths as planned, 24/7, based on clinical safety and availability at the time you go into labour — just as we do now.
How meaningful was this review? Isn’t this just a tick-box exercise? We understand this concern. The review was not a tick-box exercise—it was a thorough exploration shaped by listening to our service users, staff and the wider community. This was further highlighted by our need to extend the review period to ensure we took valuable feedback into account. Within the feedback, service users highlighted aspects of the Blossom homebirth team that were really important to them, and as such we are keen to keep elements of the Blossom service. This includes, aiming to provide a named midwife to pregnant women / birthing people to help with continuity of care and holding regular ‘meet your midwife’ sessions to allow opportunities for women to get to know those caring for them. We undertook this review process because we genuinely care about providing safe, personalised, and accessible homebirth options. While we acknowledge that not every challenge can be resolved immediately, your voices have influenced real conversations and decisions about how services can evolve.
Why couldn’t you just recruit more homebirth midwives? Recruiting midwives, particularly for homebirth services, remains a national challenge due to workforce shortages across maternity care. While we actively explore all recruitment opportunities, we also have to work within the resources available to ensure safety and sustainability. Rather than making promises we couldn’t keep, the review looked honestly at how we can use the team we have now in the most flexible and supportive way.
I heard there was a gap in provision between 5pm and 8pm? What are you doing about this? The Trust continues to roster two midwives per night to cover the homebirth service. We recognise that the 5pm to 8pm time window is important, especially for women / birthing people whose labour begins in the evening. We are currently undertaking a consultation with staff to cover this gap to ensure seamless cover between in-hours and out-of-hours homebirth provision.
How can community midwives provide homebirths on top of their already busy workloads? This is a key challenge, and one we don’t take lightly. Community midwives already provide essential care, and any expectation to support homebirths must come with the right support structures. Part of the review included listening to midwives about what they need—whether that’s better scheduling, clear escalation pathways, or stronger team-based working. We are committed to not overburdening staff and protecting their wellbeing as well as the safety of families.
Are community midwives trained to provide homebirths? Yes, all registered midwives are trained in supporting births in a variety of settings, including at home. However, skills need to be maintained and confidence built through regular experience. As part of the review outcomes, we have reviewed the ways to provide refresher training, mentorship, and team-based learning to ensure community midwives feel confident, competent, and supported in delivering safe care at home this includes training for managing emergency situations in out of the hospital setting. It is important to note that our community midwifery teams include highly skilled and experienced midwives who have worked for the organisation for a number of years. The community teams have been supporting the homebirth service throughout the review period and since November 2024, there have been many successful home deliveries by our community midwives.
What if I have concerns or need more information? Please speak to your midwife, who will be happy to discuss your options and any questions you have. For further support, you can also contact Hannah Summers, Maternity Outpatients Matron on: Telephone: 01234 355122 Ext: 5577 / Mobile: 07917 514634 / Email: Hannah.summers@bedsft.nhs.uk