MORE staff are needed before a maternity unit can be re-opened.

Campaigners formed a 'Mums Army' across East Cleveland and North-East Yorkshire when South Tees NHS Trust closed the maternity unit at Guisborough Hospital last November.

Although a progress report, published by the trust, reveals that ten new midwives had been appointed the report also makes it clear that another five midwives must be employed before the maternity unit can re-open.

Trust managers believe that a number of trainee midwives from Scotland will join the trust when they qualify in September. However a number of midwives currently working at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, are due to retire so the problem may continue. The trust said it could not give a definite re-opening date.

Campaigner Karen Rule of Guisborough, said: "This is obviously good progress but we will feel a lot happier when the unit is eventually re-opened. It should be re-opened in months rather than years."

Trust chairman John Foster said: "It must be stressed the decision to temporarily close the unit was made on safety grounds, in the interests of mothers, babies and staff. We feel we are making good progress."

The trust's report is the first quarterly update for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. The council has taken advantage of new legislation to improve democracy in the NHS and established a select committee to investigate the maternity unit closure.

The committee has recommended the trust re-open the maternity unit, improve consultations with the public, make greater use of the maternity unit when it is eventually re-opened and examine transport issues from rural communities.