Lawmakers knock plans to close Leominster maternity ward
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UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital in Leominster
Blasting UMass Memorial Health's plans to shutter its Leominster maternity ward as "unconscionable," a bipartisan group of lawmakers urged their colleagues Tuesday to strengthen state oversight of health care consolidations and closures.
About half a dozen legislators from the greater Leominster area did not mince words during a committee hearing Tuesday, alleging that UMass Memorial Health is putting undue strain on Bay Staters with the closure plans its leaders announced last month.
If the birthing center shuts down in September as UMass Memorial plans, lawmakers said, residents in the area will need to travel to Gardner, Worcester or Concord for labor and delivery -- all 30 minutes away or longer.
"They manufactured this crisis because they don't want to sustain labor and delivery in Leominster, and we think that's unconscionable," Rep. Natalie Higgins, a Leominster Democrat, told the Health Care Financing Committee.
UMass Memorial Health has attributed its proposal to close the maternity inpatient unit, which is subject to review from the Department of Public Health, to staffing shortages and a "steadily declining number of births in North Central Massachusetts."
"What workforce challenges could not be overcome with an $80 million shot to the arm over the past two years?" asked Sen. John Cronin of Lunenburg, referring a series of public funding injections UMass Memorial has received.
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