ASSURANCES were given this week that Guisborough maternity unit, which closed owing to a shortage of midwives last November, will open as soon as possible.

Outgoing chief executive of South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, Bill Murray, told the annual meeting the unit would open as soon as more midwives had been recruited.

He told the meeting: "The ward is still closed purely on safety grounds, because we couldn't recruit the number of midwives that were needed. The ward was just not safe for mothers and babies. As soon as we have the staff to open the ward safely, it will re-open.

"We will be talking to the PCT and Redcar and Cleveland Council and bring them up to date with the situation."

In a progress report to the trust, Alison Hughes, divisional manager for women and children, said: "We are very encouraged by the success we have had in recruitment so far.

"Nineteen new midwives have joined us. However, we have had several retirements and other people have left for personal and family reasons. The net effect is that we now have five vacancies."

She added that a working group had been set up with Langbaurgh Primary Care Trust, GPs, the maternity services committee and local users, to look at ways to encourage women to consider Guisborough when choosing where to have their babies.

When the unit was open, about 150 babies were born at the maternity unit each year and other mothers were transferred from the James Cook University Hospital after the birth of their baby.

The group is also developing ideas about other ante- and post-natal services which could be provided at Guisborough.

Mother-of-two, Karen Rule, said that although progress had been made, the trust was looking to recruit five midwives in June, when she said she hoped it could be opened again in November.

"Not a lot has changed really. We would like them to say when it will be open again, but realistically, now I think it will be next year."